Democratic Way to Authoritarian Rule

DEMOCRATIC WAY TO AUTHORITARIAN RULE

            Over the past ten years Indonesia has become a democratic country.  Perhaps Indonesian democracy is the best in southeast Asia.  The press, political parties are now free.  Students and interest groups are free to express their interests and their aspirations.  Writers, experts, bloggers are free to express their opinion.  There are three democratic general elections in 1999, 2004 and 2009.  But toward the end of 2009 Indonesian politics tends to shift from democracy to authoritarianism.  Latest events that draw public attention are proof of this statement.  Let’s pay attention at the following facts.

            First indication appeared in May 2009 when President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono made a strange statement about the widely respected commission on eradication of corruption (KPK).  He said that KPK had grown into a super body which is dangerous.  He further warned it to be careful.  It seems that he is not happy with KPK.  At first the public thinks that perhaps SBY had a hard feeling to KPK since KPK arrested Aulia Pohan, the father – in – law of of SBY’s son over corruption charges.

            Not long after that the Indonesian public was shocked when the police arrested Antasari Azhar,  the chief of KPK based on charges of a murder case.  He was suspected to be the mastermind of the brutal murder of Nazaruddin, a chairman of a state owned company.  The Police said Antasari has an affair with Rani Juliani, the third wife of Nazaruddin.  Then Nazaruddin threatened and blackmailed Antasari.  With the help of Sigid, a wealthy businessman, who provided fund and Wiliardi Wizard, a senior police officer, Antasari set a plan to murder Nazaruddin.  The trial is still going on at present.  Once again the public was shocked when in the trial Wiliardi Wizard denied the proceeding.  He said he was under pressure of his superiors to target Antasari.  He said all his proceedings are lies.  His denial gave further public suspicion that there is a great conspiracy to weaken the KPK. 

            Several months later another shocking news came.  The police stated that vice chairman of KPK are suspects of a crime.  Bibit Samad Riyanto, a retired police general and Chandra Hamzah, a former lawyer were charged by the police.  But the charges changes several times, from abuse of power to blackmailing.  They began to get public support.  The public protest could not be stopped when the police arrested them.   Demonstration in big cities like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and even small towns took place almost every day.    The Internet proved to be an effective tool to rally support.  In Facebook more than one million supporters are reached in just nine days.  College students, intellectuals,  journalist, NGO activists, political activists, questioned the reasons for the arrest.  People’s suspicions that there is a great conspiracy to cripple the KPK became stronger.

Then a three star police general Susno Duaji, the head of Bareskrim, a special detective unit, made a provocative statement.  He said he knows that his phone was wiretapped.  He said that the institution who wiretapped him was just a gecko and he was a crocodile.  Now the term become very popular, but in a pejorative meaning to smash the police.

            The strong public protest made SBY who is very concerned with his popularity, created a team whose duty is to verify the case and give advice to the president. Two weeks after the team recommended that the case be dropped.  The police and attorney general insited that the case must be brought to trial.  Their attitude only make the situation worse.  The case has developed from a legal case into a political issue.  It means there will be social and political risks.  If justice is not respected according to public opinion, the socio-political consequences might be catastrophic.   

            The situation got worse when in several parts of the country demonstration who supported the police and the attorney general appeared.   People questioned their motivation.  Perhaps they were paid by a certain party.  When the press asked these protesters about the issue, they did not understand anything.

            The parliament then held meetings with the police,  attorney general, KPK, students and intellectuals.  But the meetings only made the situation worse.  They tend to hate the KPK and backed the attorney general and the police.  Their statements clearly took sides.  Unfortunately it is not the public side.

            Then SBY made a statement that he is not in position to intervene in the legal process.  He said he is the head of the executive branch, not judiciary branch.  He further said that the arrest of Bibit Samad Riyanto and Chandra Hamzah are ordinary arrest like the arrests of many politicians before them in corruption cases.

            Meanwhile after a long consideration SBY finally decided to drop the Bibt-Chandra case.  The public was satisfied with it.  But unfortunately   the case has become the hottest issue in Indonesia.  It is not just an ordinary legal case.  It is a political issue now.  The general public clearly support the KPK and do not like the police and the attorney general.  They are also suspicious thet the great conspiracy to weaken the KPK involves number one person.  In public opinion this action is triggered by KPK’s action to examine the case of century bank.  By the end of 2008 Century bank was nearly bankrupt.  Then the government and the central bank, Bank Indonesia, provided a bail out.  The parliament agreed to give 1.3 trillion IDR.  But then the government body who operated the bail out gave 6.7 trillion IDR.  Rumours spread that a part of the money were channeled to a particular political individuals or political pary.

            Public opinion today is unfavorable to SBY.  The public is sure that SBY wanted to cripple KPK because KPK began to search for evidence of any indication of corruption in Century bank.  Now the public, press, NGO’s, college students and political parties insisted that the case of century bank must be disclosed.  In the parliament the demand for a special committee an the case is on the way.  They got strong support from the government.  All these development made SBY and his party cornered.  It is most likely that SBY will strike back.

            Meanwhile Tiffatul Sembiring, the Minister of communication and Information who is also the former president of Justice and Welfare party,  made a surprising statement.  He said he is preparing a bill which regulates wiretapping.  He is planning to pass the bill to parliament in the next six months.  He insisted that his department is the only one who is legal to wiretap any suspect.  In the future, he said, any government agency or KPK who will wiretap any suspect must ask permission to court.  If permission is granted,  then his department will carry it out.  This plan,  no doubt,  is meant to cripple the KPK.  So far wiretapping is proved to be KPK’s effective legal weapon.  Without this weapon KPK will find great difficulty to find evidence of corruption.

            On the other hand the government is also preparing the controversial state secrecy bill.  The bill will be passed to parliament next year.  It will prohibit people to spread certain information to public.  The problem is, there is a possibility that ruler’s interest will hide behind the bill.  So this is another anti democracy bill.  It is a serious threat to democracy.

            Bearing in mind that SBY’s Democratic party control the majority of parliament, it is most likely that the bill will pass in the parliament.  If the bill become law, then SBY will be able to control the press and KPK.  Furthermore he will pass other bills which regulates freedom of speech, freedom of expressions etc.

            All the above mentioned events, I believe,  are indications that the government is preparing a democratic steps toward authoritarian rule.