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JAKARTA. Despite successive setbacks experienced by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)-led coalition in the legislative bodies, optimism abounds that the current political brouhaha will soon be over once president-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo takes office and assumes control of the political game.
After successfully sweeping the House of Representatives’ leadership following a controversial plenary session last week, the Red-and-White Coalition secured the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) speakership early on Wednesday.
The two victories came after the coalition succeeded in endorsing the Legislative Institution Law, known as MD3, abolishing direct elections for local heads and changing the internal rules in the House.
Political analyst Ray Rangkuti of the Indonesian Civil Society Circle (Lima) said that under a presidential system, once a president took office, the legislative body only had limited power to curb his authority.
“If the president performs well, then the coalition can do nothing, unless Jokowi does something so wrong that it enrages the public,” Ray said Wednesday. “In the end, those in the legislative bodies will dance to the drum banged by the president.”
Ray was also convinced the Red-and-White Coalition’s maneuvering would only last for the next two or three weeks.
Politicians in the Red-and-White Coalition have pledged they would be in for a long fight against Jokowi.
Tycoon Hashim Djojohadikusumo, whose younger brother, Prabowo Subianto, lost the July 9 presidential election, told The Wall Street Journal that the coalition would control legislature’s agenda, its committee leadership and the confirmation of major presidential appointments for years to come.
“Our long-term aim, at least for the next five years, is to be an active, constructive opposition. Yes, Mr. Jokowi there is a price to be paid,” Hashim said, adding that the decision by Jokowi to run in the July 9 race amounted to a betrayal, as he had been the primary financial backer for his campaign to become Jakarta governor in 2012.
Yet, the MPR speakership race has also shown the Prabowo-led coalition is not as solid as it claims. The coalition was on the rocks following the United Development Party’s (PPP) decision to join Jokowi’s coalition in the MPR race, although the party later said it remained a member of Prabowo’s camp.
In the vote for the MPR speakership, the Red-and-White Coalition won the seat with a margin of only 17 votes.
Other analysts said that the fact that an opposition was in control of the legislative body, the House of Representatives (DPR) and the MPR boded well for the country’s young democracy.
“No government branch can become too powerful if the power is evenly split,” said a senior researcher at Indonesia Parliament Watch (Formappi), Tommy Legowo. “A strong legislative body will work to push the government to work harder in the next five years.”
Dean of the faculty of social and political sciences at Pelita Harapan University (UPH), Aleksius Jemadu, said that if the going got tough for Jokowi he could always turn to the public and civil society, which had helped him win the election.
Aleksius also said that Jokowi should start working to create dialogue with the Red-and-White Coalition. “If Jokowi wants to have a more solid government, he has to take the opportunity to approach members of the Red-and-White Coalition to join the government’s efforts in working for the public interest,” Aleksius said.
Separately, PDI-P lawmaker Arief Wibowo said in spite of threats from Prabowo’s coalition, members of the PDI-P-led coalition would rise above politics and work for the people.
“We will ask all parties in the House to work together to ensure Jokowi’s administration meets the people’s needs,” Arief said. (idb/Ina Parlina and Hans Nicholas Jong)
