Generals in Regional Elections

Translator

Editor

Kamis, 1 Januari 1970 07:00 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - THE appearance of serving military and police officers as regional head candidates demonstrates the failure of political parties to produce leaders. Without any clear system for political recruitment, parties only sell tickets to power to anyone who wants it and has the money. As one of the primary pillars of democracy, political parties have failed to carry out their duty as institutions to select leadership candidates based on meritocracy.



As a result, transactional politics is inevitable. Those interested in running for mayor, regent and governor were forced to compete based on popularity, so that they will be considered in surveys. They have also become unexpectedly diligent in visiting party offices and mass supporter basis to garner support. All that clearly requires large funding.


Hence the political arena has become rather like soap operas in competition for viewers. Parties will choose regional head candidates based on their money and popularity. Whether the candidate is only popular because of famous parents or because of good looks does not seem important. Vision and leadership qualities are secondary-exactly like soap operas, where performance is not important as long as actors on screen are easy on the eye.


Given these facts, nominating police and military generals still in service as regional heads is an inappropriate shortcut. Their participation in regional head elections poses potential problems because their subordinates still remain (in the police and military), something that is prone to abuse.


Additionally, serving as a regional head in an area where the community is diverse clearly requires a specific set of skills in this democratic climate with its freedom of expression. Generals in the habit of leading through a non-dynamic system of command may not have that competency.


Police and military officers do of course have the same political rights as other citizens. This is already clear under the constitution. But it seems prudent to allow a break before they can participate in elections and become politicians. This is important in order to maintain the neutrality and professionalism of both the police and military.


Parties also must develop a system for recruitment and a clear career path for their cadres to fill leadership positions at the city, regency, province and national levels. Those interested must climb a political ladder that will shape, toughen and test them before they are proposed as candidates.


In a mature democracy, leaders emerge from the lower levels. They are experienced in working with the populace, solving people’s everyday problems, have an understanding of psychology and mass sociology, as well as how to be effective leaders. All these leadership competencies cannot be forced to ripen overnight based only on one’s popularity or money.


In the United States, for example, Barack Obama became president only after 10 years as a public lawyer in Chicago, 20 years as a member of the Illinois parliament, not to mention a senator. Meanwhile, his rival John McCain had a military background. But one year after he left the military in 1981, he began his political career by becoming a congressman, representing Arizona.


Indonesia’s political parties have a lot to learn from parties in countries with mature democracies. We don’t want our parties to continue to simply function as political vehicles for those seeking power.


Read the full article in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine

Related News

The Political Way to Fight Electoral Wrongdoing

1 hari lalu

The Political Way to Fight Electoral Wrongdoing

The Constitutional Court has failed to uphold justice in the face of electoral fraud. It is time to take the political route.

Read More

Legal Populism in the Tin Case

2 hari lalu

Legal Populism in the Tin Case

The Attorney General's Office needs to focus on the main perpetrators of corruption in tin trading in Bangka Belitung. Avoid legal populism.

Read More

A Domestic Recipe for the Middle East Conflict

3 hari lalu

A Domestic Recipe for the Middle East Conflict

The Middle East conflicts will harm the Indonesian economy. The solution is to improve the domestic economy.

Read More

The Import Restrictions Boomerang

4 hari lalu

The Import Restrictions Boomerang

The restrictions on the imports of goods caused problems for many industries. They could become an opportunity for bribery and corruption.

Read More

Tin Vanishes, Humans and Nature Perish

7 hari lalu

Tin Vanishes, Humans and Nature Perish

The mining of tin causes serious environmental damage in Bangka Belitung. The number of children with intellectual disabilities and autism is rising.

Read More

Stopping Animal Torture Video from Indonesia

8 hari lalu

Stopping Animal Torture Video from Indonesia

Indonesia is the world's largest producer of animal torture video content. This is a result of weak law enforcement.

Read More

Academic Misconduct on our Campuses

9 hari lalu

Academic Misconduct on our Campuses

The image of our higher education is once again damaged by revelations of alleged academic misconduct in scientific publications by a professor.

Read More

The Corrupt Design in Lobster Downstreaming

10 hari lalu

The Corrupt Design in Lobster Downstreaming

The Ministry of Fisheries produced some strange regulations about the cultivation and export of lobsters.

Read More

Legal Tinkering to Pay Political Debt

15 hari lalu

Legal Tinkering to Pay Political Debt

President Jokowi is planning to grant mining concessions to mass organizations. Paying political debts.

Read More

Questioning Modern Spiritual Slavery

15 hari lalu

Questioning Modern Spiritual Slavery

Deifying habib is a characteristic of inferior mentality and religious feudalism. It has been cultivated since colonial times.

Read More