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Take a stand to save nation's democracy
Jakarta Globe Editorial - October 6, 2014
But the careless manner in which the House passed a law scrapping direct elections for regional leaders, despite overwhelming objections from the Indonesian public, and how one coalition of losing political parties controls the council for a self-serving agenda, show that our politicians are out of touch with the very people they are supposed to represent.
Their recent decision would insinuate they are actually against the will of the people.
The way members of the Red-and-White coalition, or KMP, self-indulgently decide which of their comrades receive this position or that post at the DPR or MPR paints a clear picture of how the people's interests is the very last item on KMP's greed-fueled list of priorities.
Today, we will witness yet another round political horse trading that will decide who will be appointed speaker and deputy speakers of the MPR. Again, based on numerous statements Prabowo Subianto's coalition has made on the matter, we have reasons to believe that by controlling both the MPR and DPR, KMP aims to turn back the clock and yank Indonesia back into the New Order era, a totalitarian time when a handful of political elites controlled the fate of the entire archipelago.
We are powerless as we witness the slow demise of the country's democracy; all we can do is wait for another five years to get involved and – hopefully – use our votes to take the power away from KMP.
But should we wait that long? Is our middle class too divided, blinded and too lazy to fight back? With a divided mass media, it's not easy, but we must take a stand before it's too late.
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/editorial-take-stand-save-nations-democracy/.
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