Parody of Indonesian Politics

PARODY OF INDONESIAN POLITICS

Title : Wakil Rakyat (People’s Representatives)

Director : Monty Tiwa

Starring : Tora Sudiro, Revalina S Temat, Vincent Rompies, Wiwid Gunawan.

This is a comedy movie or more precisely a parody or a pejorative portrait of current Indonesian politics. The story is about Bagyo (Tora Sudiro) who worked as a janitor in Jakarta. One day he was asleep when there was a national meeting of party leaders. While he was sleeping an accident happened. A cat attacked the party chairman so he was wounded. His boss was so angry that Bagyo was fired.

Bagyo was very disappointed and frustrated as his wedding day with Ani (Revalina S Temat) was coming. Ani’s father did not like him, he considered Bagyo was unreliable. His burden was getting harder when he lost his money in a bus. A pickpocket stole his money. His anger made him chase the pickpocket. When he saw the pickpocket were robbing Tika (Wiwid Gunawan) a famous actress, he fought them. Because he was alone and there were three opponents, Bagyo lose the fight. He was wounded and hospitalized.

But the fight got people’s attention. The fight was widely reported by the press. Bagyo became a hero. He became a famous boy. Meanwhile Wiwoho (Tarzan) the chairman of Partai Perjuangan Tiada Henti (Endless Struggle Party)saw this event as an opportunity. At the time he was preparing for the coming legislature election. So he needed many famous people for his party. He needed Bagyo’s popularity to rally support for his party. He did not care about the fact that Bagyo did not know anything about politics. Then he came to see Bagyo at hospital. He did not forget to invite the press to cover his visit. There he recruited Bagyo to become a legislature candidate.

At first party official wanted to assign him in Yogyakarta but then an influential party member wanted the job so Bagyo was removed.

Bagyo was assigned in Wadasrejo, a remote village in Yogyakarta, accompanied by Jereng (Vincent Rompies). It was a poor village. Most people work as poor peasants. There was no electricity, there was not enough doctors and hospitals. People did not read newspaper and did not watch television. Consequently they did not know Bagyo. He was nobody. So it was very hard for him to campaign there. The situation got worse as Bagyo did know how to speak in front of public. He did have public speaking skill. What he did is just giving milk to poor people.

One day Bagyo made a fatal mistake for his party. On that day his party official scheduled a rally campaign in Gunung Kidul, a small town outside of Yogyakarta. Bagyo was supposed to give his introductory speech there. But in the morning as he would go to Gunung Kidul something happened. He saw Nanik, a widow, was going to give birth while she was at home alone. Bagyo and Jereng decided to help her. Jereng went to look for help and Bagyo prepared many thing at Nanik’s house. They were so busy helping Nanik that they forgot their plan to go to Gunung Kidul. When they remembered it and they left it was too late. He got to Gunung Kidul late at night when there was no one except an angry party official. It was a total failure for Bagyo. He was fired by his party.

He came back to Jakarta empty handed. He had no job. He had no position in the party. But his action in the village when he helped Nanik was widely covered by the press. The whole village really appreciated him. Once again he became a hero. By the end of the story, on his wedding day the leader of another party asked him to become a legislature candidate.

The acting of Tora Sudiro and Vincent Rompies are good. Many funny scenes happened along the movie. Their acting are natural. The storyline is good enough. They are not just slapstick jokes.

The story is a parody of the current political situation. The latest legislature election in Indonesia which was held in April 2009 was ridiculous. Many parties, including prominent parties recruited actress, comedians, actors, singers as their legislature candidate. Today there are many Bagyos in Indonesian parliament. What can we expect from them except jokes ?