PDIP on Indonesian Democracy: Don't Go Back

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) raises concerns about maintaining democratic principles in the country’s election system. Recent discussions about the possible abolition of direct regional head elections have sparked widespread public debate. PDIP politician Muhammad Syaeful Mujab expresses the view that monetary politics should not be used as an excuse to restrict citizens’ rights to directly elect their leaders. This statement followed talks of possibly changing the system for electing regional heads through regional legislative assemblies. According to PDIP, the problem of monetary influence should be addressed in other ways, rather than by reducing the democratic rights of the population. Party leader Megawati Sukarnoputri emphasized the importance of the country’s forward movement, comparing the current situation to the ‘Poco-Poco’ dance. PDIP is concerned that the current political debates resemble more of a backward step, rather than forward progress, and calls for a more progressive approach to enhancing the country’s democratic institutions.