Reform has occurred for approximately 17 years and has brought Indonesia to a true, transparent, clean, and responsible democratic system. Nevertheless, noticed from political perspectives, the circumstance is still in a transition phase and has not been implemented entirely in Indonesia. In fact, elites of government and parties take advantages the democratic process through demogarchy which apparently brings adverse impacts on the people.
The aforementioned paragraph was uttered by a lecturer of International Relations of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) Zain Maulana, S.IP., M.A. as a speaker of a National Seminar of Muhammadiyah Congress. The seminar was organized by Muhammadiyah Student Association (IMM) of Commissariat Coordinator of UMY. It was conducted at meeting hall of A.R. Fachruddin B, Floor 5, UMY. It was also invited the other speakers such as Hilman Latif, S.Ag., M.A., Ph.D. (a lecturer of FAI UMY as well as Head of LP3M UMY) and Awan Santosa, S.E., M.Sc.
Zain Maulana continued that the democratic steps in Indonesia have been undermined by oligarchy behaviors of elites of government and political parties displayed in public. As the result, that democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people turns political demogarchy. “The demogarchy practice is a democracy process covered by oligarchy of political elites. Government and power are entirely held by a small group of elites. We could not let it be since it would significantly bring serious impacts on Indonesian people,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, Zain conveyed that democracy should represent needs on majority of Indonesian people, but it could not have been attained yet. On contrast, public policy making brings advantages for the interest of a few political elites and foreign businessmen. “Democracy now has not taken sides of citizens, yet has brought advantages to a small number of political elites and foreign businessmen. In fact, the ones who are supposed to gain the merits are the people,” he asserted.
Zain inserted, critics and protests are absolutely needed to give government tough pressures so that it would diminish democratic-oligarchy practice in this country. “Massive protests from people are necessary as the way to communicate to government. Thus, behaviors and policies of government would be more consistent to take sides of people’s interests than the oligarchs’,” he emphasized.
