I Stand On The Right Side

Many of you may know that this is the year of Indonesian Presidential campaign. There are two president-vice candidates to select:

1. Prabowo Subianto (Prabowo) - Hatta Rajasa
2. Joko Widodo (Jokowi) - Jusuf Kalla (JK)

Indonesian Presidential Election 2014 is the most engaging election so far. So much engaging that many people unfriending each other on Facebook. It happens also to many of my friends.

The Reason of Reluctant

I've been reluctant on choosing which side I would prefer to stand. This Indonesian election made so much drama involved. I saw flaws on both sides and I think that I would passed this election time.

Human Right Issue

First of all, there is a washing hands scheme happening. The military, or a faction of it, trying to relish one of the two most wanted Human Right criminals: Prabowo and Wiranto. While the other stands on his own, the later go to the other side camp. In the end, one of them will be released from their criminality, forgiven by politics.

Both of them never came to any Human Right ad hoc calling. I know they were generals with ego. But, yeah, it is their duty as a soldier also to protect the Indonesian Law as Indonesia is by definition a lawful country. I wish they could go and wash their names.

Extremism

Second, both of them have Islam extremists. Father Magnis Suseno once said that Gerindra (Prabowo's party) Manifesto about faith refinery brought question about its commitment to the Indonesian plurality. To make it worst, many of the fundamental Islamic party join Prabowo side.

While Prabowo is obvious, he tried to show us that he can control them. He brought Anis Matta (head of PKS, the most Islamic fundamental party) to a Christian ceremony that celebrated Christ ascending into heaven. They attended the whole ceremony which indicating that Prabowo may given us hope of inter-faith.

And the other side also have fundamentalist backer, e.g. Jusuf Kalla. He shared his opinion against GKI Yasmin. He agreed to close that church down. I know that GKI Yasmin is now abandoned by her mother church. But, yeah, this is a demonstration about Indonesian Law can be overridden.

Feels Like This Is Scripted

This election felt like American election de javu. Here are the points:

1. Prabowo (McCain, Romney) aims at conservatives and Jokowi (Obama) aims at younger generations.
2. Black campaigns against Jokowi religion as Christian is like Obama being accused as Islam.
3. Prabowo aims at the leaders and Jokowi uses Social Media to gather sporadic voters. Wow, so "original"!
4. A neutral online newspaper, The Jakarta Post, suddenly give their support to Jokowi. Wow, kinda like what The New York Times did to Obama.
5. And many more.

I feel like there is a conspiracy going on and I don't know what to do. With many stupid fellow countrymen, I just shrug helplessly. I don't think anything will significantly change for the better. Indonesia still a puppet to many countries.

Why Bother?

One thing should I make clear, contrary to many religious organization do, my church (GPHI) stands on a neutral side. They endorse both as eligible leaders and many of us never made any statement about choosing whom to avoid gathering the mass into a candidate. As a part of Youth Leader at that church, I felt obligated to do the same. That's why I didn't bother to say anything until now about the election.

This morning I saw many of my friend that usually take Golput (neutral, abstain) siding at one side. Some of them are the '98 Reform activists, human right activists, and some even the Free/Open Source activists. This amplify some points that were made when I saw Wimar Witoelar took side into Jokowi.

At a coffee shop this evening, some of them and I took a discussion about what happens. They told me about why they chose Jokowi. They told us why bother, especially the '98 Reform activists. Thus, I reluctantly choose Jokowi.

Reluctant?

Because I still have a thing one or two about Jusuf Kalla. I don't like him being awarded Dr. Honoris Causa from my university, Universitas Indonesia. The award seems political to me. And his family runs businesses in eastern Indonesia like mob.

That's actually not the real reason. The biggest let down for me is that I still feel gritty about the shitty president that I had chose. This onto retirement presidency had led Indonesia into more bond. He also loves to made appealing committee that didn't hold any power. The biggest let down of all is his party made so many corruptions.

I hate to make any false hope, but this time I take a stand. Let's see where this election goes and the result of the let go. I hope whoever take the office, Indonesia will be reformed for the better.