By: Ananda Rasti *
Prabowo – Sandiaga BPN Steering Board, Amien Rais considers the Joko Widodo Government an authoritarian regime. According to Amien, the principle of democracy desired during the 1998 reform era had changed its content and direction. In fact, he said the change in the direction of democracy was very dangerous and difficult to save. According to him, there are three characteristics of the authoritarian government that are seen today.
“The democracy that we dreamed of during the four years of Jokowi’s regime has changed its face, changed content, changed direction and was very very dangerous,” Amien said in a discussion at the National Secretariat office in Prabowo – Sandiaga, Menteng, Central Jakarta.
“So to save democracy is very hard because there are three characteristics of authoritarianism. So Pak Jokowi is weak in democracy, he doesn’t want to, “continued Amien.
He said, President Jokowi’s government is currently trying to divide the government opposition parties. The second characteristic, continued Amien, was the effort to master the majority of the mass media so that it could be used to shape public opinion. And third, there are large-scale corruption cases involving government elements. Amien said, the higher the power, the higher the level of corruption.
In response to this statement, the PKB prayed that senior PAN politician Amien Rais would always be physically and mentally healthy.
“We pray that Mr. Amien will always be physically and mentally healthy. “What Mr. Amien delivered is certainly not true,” said PKB Wasekjen Daniel Johan.
Daniel also said that it was difficult to master the media in the current era of information openness. He said the public could no longer be silenced like the New Order era.
“Which media can be co-opted in the open era of information flows like today. The community can no longer be silenced like the New Order era. All media have the right to voice anything as long as it’s true and fact. “The Hoax will impose sanctions, laws that act,” he said.
Regarding corruption, Daniel said that Jokowi was firm in fighting corruption. According to him, this was proven by Jokowi with his actions.
“For corruption, Jokowi is strict for no corruption and it is proven to start from himself and his family. I think this is an example of an exemplary leader, “Daniel concluded.
The opinion of the former Chairperson of the MPR was also denied by Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK). JK said that there was no authoritarian or nepotism element in Joko Widodo’s figure. JK as Chair of the Steering Committee of the Jokowi – Maufuf faction stated that the government under Jokowi’s leadership did not apply authoritarianism in taking policy. Because each policy issued is the result of a joint cabinet decision in a coordination meeting.
“I guarantee based on 4 years of experience with Jokowi, he has never thought of being authoritarian, which is a hassle, we are anything close together. “The rubbish has only been brought together, it’s a waste economy, especially an economy about growth,” he said at the CNBC Economy Outlook 2019 event at the Westin Hotel, Jakarta.
According to him, Jokowi is a state leader who often holds meetings in his cabinet. He said, the work cabinet could even hold meetings up to 5 times a week, different from the authoritarian New Order era where the meeting was only once a month.
“If we look at history, the fallen countries are two, authoritarian and nepotism. Jokowi is not there at all, “JK said.
“Sometimes the Finance Minister Sri Mulyani is busy taking notes until she forgets. If Pak Soeharto’s time is a monthly meeting. This is now sometimes 5 times a week. Unless this time is indeed not often a meeting, because he often goes out of the area so we are safe – now, it is rather relaxed, “he explained jokingly.
Thus, it shows that the former Governor of DKI Jakarta did not use his authority to make arbitrary decisions “Meaning that he never thought authoritarianally, all decisions he made were close. If there is an authoritarian meeting, he immediately takes the decision, “he said.
According to JK, his partner in leading Indonesia also did not have the value of nepotism. This is because Jokowi’s children do not engage in politics, but instead open a business.
“So does he think of nepotism? Nowadays our children appear in the office to talk about (what people) what business is there. “Pak Jokowi’s son, one sells martabak and one sells fried bananas,” explained JK.
A similar thing was expressed by JK when he gave direction at the Jenggala Center national coordination meeting at the JS Luwansa hotel, Jakarta. The meeting was attended by PAN – RB minister Syafrudin, Social Minister Agus Gumiwang, and chairman of the Jokowi Ma’ruf TKN, Erick Thohir, which was held closed to the media. In the meeting, JK said the community must be aware of authoritarian leadership styles and also the practice of nepotism.
The adverse effects of authoritarian rule can be seen in the Venezuelan country which finally collapsed. JK also gave an example of the New Order era. “Well, the cleanest one, this candidate, is Mr. Jokowi. “We have to be wise to see it,” JK continued.
Before JK gave that direction, the national team of the Jenggala Center itself had declared their support for pair number 2, Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin. The Chairman of the Jenggala Center National Team, Iskandar Mandji, believes they will produce a variety of important decisions that will support the process of winning Jokowi – Maufuf.
* The author is an observer of social and political problem