Bringing the Government Closer to the People

The fall of Soeharto’s rule in May 1998 did not automatically bring democracy. Pro-democracy movement consisting of intellectuals, students, prominent figures, journalists, politicians and professionals were quickly united in mass mobilization across the nation to undermine the Soeharto’s power when monetary crisis began in May 1997 ran deep and prolonged. They agreed that they would end authoritarianism and develop democracy. However, they had no grand design of Indonesia in the post-Soeharto era.

Political reform agenda has been applied to different sectors: from electoral system and civil-military relation to regional autonomy and chief executive election. This world’s third largest country conducted legislative election in 1999 and 2004, which were considered to be free and fair elections since 1955. Presidential tenure has been limited to only twice. First direct presidential election was held in 2004. More than one hundred new political parties have been founded although only 48 political parties were eligible to run in the General Election of 1999, and 24 political parties were eligible to run in the General Election of 2005. Freedom of the press and street demonstrations is daily routine. Regional autonomy, including special autonomy for Aceh and Papua, has been implemented since 2001. New provinces and regencies/cities have been created since. Besides, first direct election of governors, regents and mayors will be held all over the country. In 2005 alone, the election is held in 20 provinces and 214 regencies/cities. This means that in general more freedom flourishes. At the same time, however, people feel that more freedom does not change their lives for the better. Politics remains the power elite’s game. People’s voices and grumblings on the problems that they face day after day just end up in public spaces such as markets, doctor waiting rooms, bus stations, railways stations, streets, radio and television talk-shows, seminars and public hearings in the House of Representatives. If any, there are only few of them that have access to the decision-making.

What people feel about freedom as mentioned above directs us to the basic questions: Is freedom for the sake of freedom? Is political reform for the sake of political reform? Is democracy for the sake of democracy? Is development for the sake of development? As democracy credo: “from the people, by the people, for the people”, it is perceived universally that the very subject of all struggles and efforts for democracy are the people. Therefore, the challenge is how the ongoing reform to be put on the right track to the fulfillment of people’s rights: to get their voices heard institutionally, and to secure basic needs such as security, health, education, foods, and shelter. In other words, the challenge is how to provide the people not only the procedure of democracy but also the substance of democracy where they get freedom as well as welfare.

In democratic state, the government is created—and has the obligation—to serve the people. The transition to democracy—where people are struggling for freedom as well as welfare—will succeed by bringing the government closer to the people. Some of the paths that we choose to take are decentralization, public participation and public services since people can be reached at local level.