by Mathias Hariyadi

Hundreds of people launch a "public petition" to repeal of the norm cancelling the direct election of mayors and local councillors. Attempts to target president-elect Jokowi, just days before he takes office. Oligarchies, power brokers and the opposition, led by the defeated Subianto, promise battle inside and outside Parliament.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Hundreds of intellectuals, teachers and scholars in Indonesia, representing dozens of universities around the archipelago, have launched a "public petition" for the "final repeal" of the norm has erased the direct election of governors and mayors. The petition aims to overturn the norm that was pushed through by the outgoing parliament at the end of its mandate and restore the right of choice to citizens. The incoming Assembly is being called upon to archive the law which has been a source of heated controversy and ensure the principle of "popular sovereignty".

The world of culture, civil society movements and ordinary citizens are demanding "direct election" of local authoriteis, as the best example of democracy and defense of the law. The norm was approved on September 26 by the faction close to Prabowo Subianto, the presidential candidate defeated by Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, in the last four days of the outgoing legislature.  It is billed as immoral and a sign of an attempt to eradicate the "democratic spirit" of the country.

Intellectuals and activists accuse Subianto's White-Red coalition of supporting a political oligarchy that casts a dark shadow on the democratic future of the nation. They also target the Democratic Party (DP) of outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who, despite being opposed in principle to the cancellation of direct election, voted in favor in a last minute u-turn, allowing the bill to pass.

Meanwhile, the endless war - media and otherwise - being waged by some political and business sectors against the future president Jokowi continues.  Despite having gained consensus among citizens and civil society, he is the target of extremist groups and the conservative faction of the country. In the last hours, the leading businessman Hasyim Djojohadikusumo, Subianto's younger brother, has thrown down the gauntlet to the new Head of State, speaking of "personal issues" and promising to battle him from the first days in office.

He accuses Jokowi - whose rise to governor he helped finance - of having used his previous office as a springboard to reach the most coveted seat in the country. Abandoning the process of reform of the capital half way.  

Obviously these charges hide anger at his older brothers' defeat in the presidential elections but it also confirms the presence of a large group that remains hostile to the political face of the former governor of Jakarta. And this group, which also includes banking and financial lobbies, will do little to facilitate the task that awaits the reformist president-elect; the civilian population nourishes enormous expectations, which are perhaps beyond any real possibility, since supporters of the Head of State are in the minority in Parliament.

Following in this trend Subianto's party has announced that they would also like to cancel  - after mayors and governors - the direct election of the president, restoring the task to Parliament as it was under the Shuarto regime, who had full control of 'Assembly.

 

• indonesia democracy election mayors local councillors Jokowi