By: Rahmat Kurniawan )*
The political tension caused by the presidential election has ended with a meeting between President-elect Joko Widodo and his rival Prabowo Subanto, the meeting between the two figures took place in a relaxed, intimate manner and showed no expression of revenge at all.
But apparently the meeting left a question about whether or not there was an opposition force that would oversee the Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin government for the next 5 years. The question arises because there are allegations that some of the supporters of Prabowo’s party in the presidential election have a tendency to want to enjoy the cake of power by joining the Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin government.
So far, it is only the Prosperous Justice Party that has openly positioned its party as an opposition.
Political signals have also become an interesting spectacle, with a series of meetings of political party leaders with President Jokowi. The National Mandate Party was still split between Zulkifli Hasan’s supporters and Amien Rais sympathizers. The Gerindra Party was also divided between the pros and the government coalition and those who gave a negative reaction to the reconciliation between Prabowo and Jokowi.
Whereas with or without additional support from ex-rivals during the 2019 presidential election, the Indonesian Workers Coalition is actually already strong enough to support the government of president Joko Widodo in the 2019-2024 period.
The Indonesian Workers Coalition is estimated to have pocketed 60.8 percent of the total parliamentary seats, while the rival coalition is predicted to control the remaining 39.2 percent. Additional coalition members will certainly make President Jokowi’s position more powerful.
But the negative impact is that the opposition will be very weak. A strong opposition also affects checks and balances that will not run properly. If that happens then it will not be beneficial for the development of democracy in Indonesia.
No doubt, indeed power is something that is always tempting, but power without any control will certainly make people difficult. This has become one of the foundations that opposition is needed in democracy.
Let’s look at Indonesia in the 1950s, when the opposition in Indonesia experienced a golden period where the government was tightly controlled. However, there is also a negative side, namely that many of the government’s strategic programs have been stalled because of parliament’s interruption, so that development is hampered. Therefore, then the role of the opposition is made unproductive alias barren.
What became disastrous was that the castration of the opposition lasted until the New Order era. This really shows the course of an unhealthy democracy because the government is out of control, and tends to give birth to a dictatorial regime.
We certainly know that the dictatorship regime at that time was really unhealthy, like the mass media that was closely watched and fully controlled by the government, so that the press was not free to broadcast the news. If there is a press agency that reports something that is counter to the government at that time, then be prepared – the media will be banned.
In short, the role of the opposition is an important role, so that the opposition can correct the course of government. Reflecting on the developed countries, the role of the opposition is actually very authoritative and respected.
Especially if the opposition adjusts its attitude to eastern culture, where criticism of the government is conveyed constructively, not with swear, slander or blasphemy. And politics for mutual respect and culture.
With opposition, democracy in a country will be more valuable and authoritative. Opposition does not mean that part of the group is wasted, but part of the partnership of the government to always build a nation with character.
Concretely, the democratic process will run well if there is a healthy opposition. If the Opposition is devoid of interest, democracy is seen as going bad.
We certainly have hope that all parties will not be tempted to fight for entry into the Jokowi – Maufuf cabinet. However strong and adequate opposition is still needed, because the opposition is a noble position, and political parties that firmly choose the option means that it has made a positive contribution to the journey of democracy in Indonesia.
Opposition is not an enemy of the government, the opposition has a role in criticizing government policy, so that the wheels of democracy in Indonesia will not stall because there is a balancing party.
)* The author is a political observer