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A hope for Indonesia's future after election's results
On Feb. 14, I had been restless since morning. That day, the votes of more than 200 million voters would determine the future of Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy and the world's third-largest democracy.
The choices were between academic-slashed-political opportunist Anies Baswedan, a former army general with a dark past of his alleged involvement in human rights violations Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo, a loyal follower of Megawati, the chairwoman of the country's largest political party, PDIP that played a vital role in the issuance of some controversial laws.
By afternoon, the public already knew roughly the result from quick counts. Prabowo will likely win, securing almost 60% of the votes. His team's rebranding strategy seemed working, turning him from a firm military figure to a cuddly fatherly image. His dance move went viral among young people, who account for almost 60% of eligible voters.
Some were disappointed with Prabowo winning, including me. We seemed to suffer from a collective amnesia; how come we elect someone with unresolved human rights cases?
In addition, educated and middle-class people have shared concerns about Prabowo's candidacy since the beginning. Prabowo is still Defence Minister and runs with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. There have been allegations that Jokowi has misused his power to secure votes for his son's winning. There is also a big question of whether Indonesia will turn into an authoritarian under Prabowo.
Despite these bleak stories, I remember a discussion with a senior journalist who remained optimistic about Indonesia's democracy as long as the power is not concentrated in one group or people. PDIP has declared itself as an opposition to the elected president. If this is true, it can ensure the check and balance process and maintain democracy remain intact. Let's hope so!
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Warmest,
Ika Krismantari
Chief Editor/Content Director
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