TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Within only hours after registering at the General Election Commission with Joko Widodo, already Ma’ruf Amin came out with an unpleasant comment. He made a snide remark about Prabowo Subianto who had selected businessperson Sandiaga Uno rather than comply to a recommendation of the National Movement Safeguarding Ulama Fatwa (GNPF). Instead of criticizing his opponent’s development concepts, the chairman of the Indonesian Ulama Council chose to continue to beat the drum of animosity that has been a steady feature of our public life in the past four years.
But what to do? The burdensome presidential threshold we have in our system only managed to turn up the same two old faces for the 2019 presidential race: Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto. Voters are not being proffered fresh contestants for consideration.
The wounds lacerated in the general election of four years ago still run deep. Then the public was ripped apart. Catcalling and babble were rampant, and hoaxing on social media was the order of the day. This sort of fracturing should not be repeated. The upcoming election should be looked at as a competition for best work program, not a contest to vehemently trip each other up.
As incumbent candidate, Jokowi would do well to show himself capable of running a peaceful race. He should not be apprehensive about losing because he already has a slew of technical accomplishments in his pocket compared to Prabowo. A pile of studies repeatedly show Jokowi to be a people’s favorite. His work programs in his four years as president are his principal capital.
There is no reason for the Jokowi-Ma’ruf campaign team to employ cheap issues-let alone use hired buzzers-to clobber the competition. Ma’ruf is an ulama leader. He should follow the suit of revered cleric Hamka who maintained gracious manners facing Sukarno and Mohammad Yamin, whom he opposed often. He never attacked Sukarno despite being jailed, slandered, and having his books banned by the Old Order government.
The Prabowo-Sandiaga camp too should not take the bait nor slap the waters whenever they turn choppy. They should ensure their constituents refrain from using calumny and hoaxing against Jokowi. Sandiaga can continue with his well-mannered stance during the Jakarta gubernatorial contest last year. He never reacted negatively in face of a variety of disparagement against him on social media during the campaign. It is imperative Jokowi and Prabowo take responsibility for nurturing democracy. It is high time the two camps compete against each other using their finest work plans as their weapons.
There are many things yet about Indonesia in dire need of being put in order. Health and education should be priority homework. An imminent trade war with the USA and Europe is on the horizon. Much infrastructure is still badly needed, particularly outside of Java. The Jokowi-Ma’ruf and Prabowo-Sandiaga pairs can vie with each other to present their most excellent work intentions to the public.
It is par for the course that both camps criticize one another. Prabowo, say, would be most elegant if he "attacks" Jokowi with economic issues so far been left slack. The rupiah continues to plummet. Export values are by no means stable, in particular the agriculture sector which dropped nearly eight percent last year. Foreign debt has reached Rp4,800 trillion and has not been balanced out with maximum in-country taxation efforts. Respect for human rights is yet another crucial issue urgently needing to be grappled with.
Jokowi should respond to criticisms by preparing an even better work program. He has to prove his choice for selecting an ulama as deputy did not mean he plans to disregard economic development.
Let it become a stimulating competition. Don’t allow acrobatics between the Jokowi-Ma’ruf and Prabowo-Sandiaga pairings turn incongruous and result in even further apathy within a public already sick of watching hate and animosity in the political arena.
Read the full article in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
