By: Dodik Prasetyo) *
After previously criticizing Jokowi’s candidacy as presidential candidate for the period 2019 – 2024, Chairperson of the Honorary Board of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais invited President and Vice President-elect Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin to work in leading Indonesia during the period 2019-2024.
He will also support the Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin government to complete it for the next 5 years. Nevertheless, he promised to oversee the wheels of the Jokowi era government by becoming an opposition. According to the former chairman of the MPR, without opposition the government would not run well.
Amien Rais’s statement is certainly not much different from Prabowo’s statement when he met Jokowi, at that time Prabowo stated he was ready to help the government’s performance as an opposition.
Amien Rais also mentioned the danger of democracy without any opposition. According to him, death bells ring loudly when there are no parties who want to be in opposition.
He also mentioned that President Jokowi was a figure who understood democracy. Because, Jokowi expressed the importance of opposition in the democratic system. This was stated by Jokowi during a political speech in Sentul.
In his speech, Jokowi had mentioned political options as opposition is a noble choice, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta realized that the totality in supporting someone in a democratic contest is a natural thing.
The absence of opposition in democracy will also make it
democracy decays because it does not provide a healthy space for the government, especially in terms of checks and balances.
Jokowi also stated that it would not be a problem if there would be opposition. However, he also reminded that the opposition must be without hatred that can cause revenge
This shows that power needs a balance, it needs to be monitored. The opposition takes on this role. Because the opposition has a control function that can bring benefit. Without control from the opposition, power will only become a arena of corruption and a place to prioritize the group itself.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with all parties in coalition within the National Winning Body, taking the role of good opposition. In developing Indonesia all parties can contribute to the nation and state by playing their respective roles critically and constructively.
The existence of space for the opposition is one of the hallmarks of the democratic system. Where the party that chooses to become an opposition can also take on its role. Unlike the authoritarian system, where the system knows no opposition, and the control function of the opposition party.
Amien Rais’s statement to be an opposition, of course, is expected to make parties who are in coalition with the BPN be credible opposition. That is the opposition that criticizes and oversees the government substantially, by giving arguments – arguments that are solid and strong. Not necessarily menyiriiri government with things – things that are trivial – cruel.
The statement of Amien, who previously contradicted Jokowi, certainly had to get a good response, at least this would reduce political tension and could reunite those who had been polarized when the 2019 presidential election took place.
If Amien Rais does not invite Jokowi – Maufuf to lead Indonesia, then this will be a sign that democracy is not going well because contestation is endless. In developed countries, even the losing party always gives a speech confession of defeat.
The path of democracy should have parties outside the government in charge of criticizing. In order for the balance of the wheels of government to work, because without opposition, the course of democracy will only become a stupid democracy, aka false democracy.
Amien Rais also delivered a pretty calm sentence, in which he invited him to continue knitting red and white, continuing this nation to unite, not to break. This explicitly shows that Amien Rais has been legowo with all the decisions of the KPU and MK.
Amien Rais’s figure shows the attitude of a statesman who does not want division because of the election. Even though he is not in the government, it does not mean that he does not have a stake in building Indonesia.
Because in essence, democracy is recognizing the existence of differences without having to break the unity, such as the motto that is in the grip of Garuda, Bhineka Tunggal IKA, which means different but still one.
) * The author is a sociopolitical observer
