By: Rahmat Kartolo *
People power can be interpreted as mobilizing the power of the time to disrupt even undermine the discourse or dominance of an established power regime. The term people power itself began worldwide when a series of large demonstrations took place in the Philippines, 33 years ago and culminated in the fall of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Where about 2 million people arrived on the road demanding the end of Ferdinan Marcos’s government, which had been in power for 21 years. Dictatorship. Corruption. Human rights violations are a factor that accumulates the saturation of the Filipino people and is expressed in the form of a people power movement known as the Yellow Revolution.
In addition, the Syrian Civil War which took place from 2011 to the present was also initiated by the people power movement which ended in chaos. At that time the pro-democracy masses demanded reform, freedom, ending corruption and asked Bashar Al Assad to drop in March 2011.
In Venezuela, the patience of the population continues to be tested, where the action is titled Operation Liberty. Asking the masses to return to the streets, where the aim of the operation was to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro’s power.
The mass action was caused by public appeals complaining about the lights and lack of clean water which frustrated some residents. Even in matters of defecating, they are troubled because there is no water to flush the toilet.
Typically People power is a non-violent mass movement to overthrow an authoritarian dictatorial government. Previously on Action 313, former MPR Chair Amien Rais had said “If cheating occurs, it will be measurable, systematic and massive, there is evidence, we will not go to the Constitutional Court, it is useless but we will direct people power,” Amien Rais said.
According to the PAN politician, legitimate people power is carried out if they find fraud in the election. Amien ensured that if the masses were later mobilized, the situation would still be peaceful.
This is certainly excessive, because Indonesia is very different from Indonesia in 1997-1998, when the people were fed up with a regime that had been in power for 32 years.
Legal expert Indriyanto Seno, called on all parties to be careful in making statements, especially related to the delegitimation of the implementation of elections and efforts to people power. Because, those statements have legal implications.
It also stated that actions that led to objections channeled through juridical mechanisms such as the mobilization of mass power (people power) aimed at delegitimizing the KPU and organizing elections clearly violated the Election Law.
“If the actions and movements that lead to a legitimate revolution of power are unconstitutional steps that violate the Criminal Code,” Indriyanto said.
He also suggested that all parties should hold back. In addition, it is hoped that objections will be carried out in accordance with the regulations of election law and other related laws.
All objections to the alleged fraud or lack of quick count methods and real counts must be channeled through legal mechanisms and remain based on due process of law.
Statements related to people power on social media also have a legal impact. Even recently, electronic means that contain content threatening violence against formal state institutions and the issue of SARA clearly violate the ITE Law.
The appeal of People Power was also responded to by the Head of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri) where General Tito Karnavian threatened to use articles related to treasonous crimes when referring to the mass movement or people power which was called by a number of parties after the holding of the General Election.
According to him, the rules contained in article 107 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) can be used if the peopel power movement contains elements of wanting to overthrow the government.
“If there is an invitation to use people power, it is a general mobilization to express opinions, it must go through this mechanism. If you don’t use this mechanism, moreover if there is a language that will overthrow the government, then Article 107 of the Criminal Code is clear, “said Tito
Even though in the General Election, the Supreme Court has the authority to handle administrative and criminal violations before the voting day. While the dispute resolution of election results is conducted at the Constitutional Court (MK).
* The author is an observer of social and political problems