By: Norman Triangga *)
Reasonless, apathetic society with Simultaneous elections last held at 9 December 2015. Local elections with trust in the political parties and the House of Representatives increasingly time decreases. Now only about 50%, much lower than public trust in the government that ranged 73%. The factors that contribute that phenomenon are: cases of corruption involving political actors; the behavior of politicians who tend to be pragmatic and amoral; the indifference of political parties in view and respond to socio-economic conditions of the community.
Political parties failing to be a ‘bridge’ between community and aspirations of the political component. People yearn for leaders who are honest, clean, and willing to listen and work. If the parties do not succeed find or dare to lift the coveted candidate society, the independent candidates could be an alternative option and hope for people to increase their political participation.
The phenomenon of independent candidates is not new. But what happened recently in Jakarta which is also the representative of the capital. Jakarta governor candidate Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) intends to go forward to fight the Jakarta elections in 2017 through an independent pathway. Hearing his statement, suddenly there are those who consider that this step is ‘deparpolisasi’ form, there seems to be political parties are not willing if Ahok advanced through independent.
The assumption about ‘deparpolisasi’ is a form of deception. Therefore, deparpolisasi is a systematic attempt to deny the existence of political parties or cripple its main functions in the democratic system practiced. Meanwhile, the emergence of independent candidates is a good news for the consolidation of democracy as an independent candidate is the candidate promoted by the people. KTP collected a pure support of the people. There is no guarantee that all citizens chose political party that carries a particular candidate. But when there is an independent candidate who collect KTP of the citizens, it certainly is the moral support of the people who wished for such candidates to run in elections.
Indeed, the advance of independent candidates is a natural thing in the process of democratization. Thus, it can be said that the phenomenon of independent candidates is strengthened in a consolidation phase of democratization process in Indonesia. In addition, independent candidates can raise public participation and reduce the number of white group (abstentions).
On the other hand, this Phenomenon should be an evaluation and warning for political party in Indonesia to create the better cader or support the competent and integrity candidate for development and prosperity of people.
*) CIDISS Contributor
