Elections Miss PKI

Elections miss the Indonesian Communist Party ( PKI ). This statement is exaggerating editorially.  However, what the writing wants to emphasize, Indonesian elections miss disputes and participation of parties and mass with ideology basis.

PKI is a party and mass participation based on ideology that can prove politic engagement and state ruling properly. No revolution. Not by cutting one generation. Or even a coup. Participating in 1955 PKI gained 6.179.914 votes or 16,36% from 37.774.535 votes (43.104.464 voters). With the amount of these votes PKI earned 39 chairs or 15,17% from 257 parliament chairs. This percentage is close to the winner of 2014 election, PDI Perjuangan (18,95%). PKI became one of the top four of parliament party with ENPP (party fragmentation) index only 6.

However the Decree of President Soekarno 1959 destroyed valuable achievements of parliamentary government from 1955 elections. As a cadre mass party and ideological, PKI is far more ready to face 1960 elections that will not reach one more year. Soekarno did not only dismiss the parliament from the best Indonesian elections but also balked the continuation of ideological parliamentary government to the next elections.

Indonesianis, Max Lane in “Malapetaka in Indonesia” (Catastrophe in Indonesia) 2012 explained, the tragedy on September 30^th 1965, was an ideology slaughter and communism mass at the same time. PKI became the scapegoat coup of Soehartos governance by Soeharto. The authoritarian government of the past New Order killed many ideologies beside communism through single Pancasila principle, which was legitimized by elections that pretended to have elections.

The founding fathers previously, who had different ideology had connected government system, parties system, and elections system properly, as if Indonesia was aware from the beginning that Indonesias pluralism is better to be facilitated with parliamentary and multiparty governance. Even though the majority of Indonesian people are Muslim, the majority/plurality (district system) of elections system were not chosen because chance is bigger in winning party such as Masyumi absolutely. Elections expert, Didik Supriyanto concluded this context with redaction “proportional elections system for Indonesia has been given”.

The Founding fathers confident that the plurality of ideas and mass need to be channelled by elections dispute that emphasizes on parties organization and ideology, not personal candidates or figure/popularity. This confidence was proved in 1955 Election. The Voters participation in the first national elections reached 91,4%. It was back in the 1999 Election. The first elections after reformation pictures the enthusiasm of voters towards parties with participation reached 92,6% (the highest of all time).

It is unknown since when there is an assumption where choosing president directly is more preferred by Indonesian. Participation of voters in presidential elections has never reached 80%. Presidential Elections in 2004 as the first presidential election only reached 78,2% in the first round and 76,6% in the second round. Even Presidential Election in 2014 became a national election which level of participation is the lowest of all time 69,58%.

That number can be interpreted that the people as voters appreciate parties better compared to personal figure. It is true that if we ask to many people if they want to vote a president directly/through parliament, the answer must be many people want to vote the president directly. However if the options are, which are you more willing to do: do not vote president directly or parties in the parliament only two parties? Indonesians do not like the idea if there are only two parties in parliament.

It is such an unfortunate if in democracy through elections to fill government institution we believe more on personal candidates than political organization through parties. Among us, many people are unwilling to participate in elections but the odd thing in an election is that many people will become very enthusiastic towards the elections because artificial aspect and temporary in shape of supporting candidate. So that it is appropriate to conclude that elections miss ideology. We miss it when people come to TPS (polling station) because their closeness to communism, Islamism, nationalism, and etc. , not because “handsome”, “ndeso”, “likes to make garden”, or “fierce”.

Discussion about communism and PKI in 2014 Presidential election was presented, but more of an agitation and rotten campaign. Unfortunately, Jokowi as the elected president was chosen by direct elections left impression of the ignorance of solving bad stigma “communism” and “PKI”. Where (if aware) Jokowi is also a victim of putrefaction of PKIs name in 2014 Pilpres (Presidential election) campaign phase.

We hope that reconciliation and also Human Rights Court towards people who violate their power as state officials in the past can still be sought. One of the consequences is the dismissal of Ketetapan MPRS RI No.XXV/MPRS/1966 about PKI Dismissal, the statement as Prohibited Organization in every region in Indonesia for PKI and prohibition to spread or develop Communisme/Marxism-Leminism. It is such a sad thing if as a country of democracy, Indonesia still prohibits ideology that was once through party obeys democracy by participating in elections and was appreciated by voters.

Communism and PKI were once bigger but the founding fathers were confident in openly accepting in a frame of state. Why do the children of the nation are scared? Let communism and PKI return and participate in the elections. Let the party and their mass dispute over idea of justice. How demanded it is, let elections decide the up and downs the votes/chairs. It must be emphasized firmly, election is the power in democracy and ideology kinds are not prohibited []

USEP HASAN SADIKIN

Translated by Andina