This year, Indonesia will face two election: the general election for legislative body's members --from local councillor in district level, to provincial and state parliaments-- and the presidential election. The first one will takes place next April 9th, whilst the second one on July 5th.
Unlike the previous election in 2004, the general mood this time is a little different. In 2004, everyone anticipated the coming election with excitement. Five years ago, we experienced our first ever direct presidential election. Before, our head of state always picked by a handfull members of the People's Representative Assembly, a sort of Indonesian version of the US Congress.
In 2004, we were also eager to end our political landscape's turmoil. We had a very fragmented coalition back then. At first, after the 1999 election, we had Central Axis Coalition, consists of Golkar and a few Islamic parties as the ruling coalition. That coalition collapse halfway, resulting an impeachment of the then presiden Abdurrahman Wahid. Golkar approached PDIP --the winner of 1999 election-- and together they backed Megawati, as the new president.
Maybe the public back then in 2004, was tired to watch all of those political gimmicks. Not to mention, the trial of Akbar Tandjung, that went nowhere, corruption everywhere, incompetence in all level of government. The election came and seen as a rescue, a way out, to break and end this political fiasco, and create a better one out of it.
Today, the mood is different. We're not that excited to welcome the election year. We want to see progress, we want to see improvement, we want to work, work, work, for the better of our country. We tend to see the election as an obstacle, in one way or another, especially when it got nothing to do --or at least so it seems-- to our big project in reinventing Indonesia, making it prosper and excell. The candidates are all old faces who wants to make a comeback to the center stage, and offer nothing new except in rhetoric. No wonder people are complaining, and wishing all of this will end soon.
Unlike the previous election in 2004, the general mood this time is a little different. In 2004, everyone anticipated the coming election with excitement. Five years ago, we experienced our first ever direct presidential election. Before, our head of state always picked by a handfull members of the People's Representative Assembly, a sort of Indonesian version of the US Congress.
In 2004, we were also eager to end our political landscape's turmoil. We had a very fragmented coalition back then. At first, after the 1999 election, we had Central Axis Coalition, consists of Golkar and a few Islamic parties as the ruling coalition. That coalition collapse halfway, resulting an impeachment of the then presiden Abdurrahman Wahid. Golkar approached PDIP --the winner of 1999 election-- and together they backed Megawati, as the new president.
Maybe the public back then in 2004, was tired to watch all of those political gimmicks. Not to mention, the trial of Akbar Tandjung, that went nowhere, corruption everywhere, incompetence in all level of government. The election came and seen as a rescue, a way out, to break and end this political fiasco, and create a better one out of it.
Today, the mood is different. We're not that excited to welcome the election year. We want to see progress, we want to see improvement, we want to work, work, work, for the better of our country. We tend to see the election as an obstacle, in one way or another, especially when it got nothing to do --or at least so it seems-- to our big project in reinventing Indonesia, making it prosper and excell. The candidates are all old faces who wants to make a comeback to the center stage, and offer nothing new except in rhetoric. No wonder people are complaining, and wishing all of this will end soon.
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