MORE than 1000 academics from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) from lecturers and education staff have conveyed their position and concerns regarding the recent emergency condition of Indonesian democracy. Indonesia is currently said to be facing serious problems.
“We are concerned about the condition of our democracy and law which has declined post-reform, marked by legal tensions, political manipulation that could risk threatening the constitution of the state and social order,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Community Service and Alumni, Arie Sujito when contacted, Saturday, August 24, 2024.
According to Arie, the attitude of thousands of UGM academics is because they do not want the democracy that students and activists fought for in 1998 to finally stagnate and return to the New Order era. In that era, he said, the power of the party oligarchy and the maneuvers of the political elite realized the interests of groups and factions.
“We want to restore the dignity of democracy so that it is not damaged by the interests of the ruling elite,” said the lecturer from the Sociology Study Program, FISIP UGM.
According to him, the statement of the UGM lecturers and education staff received support from the UGM Deans’ Forum, seeing the political maneuvering of the majority of parliamentary forces who ignored the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling regarding the requirements for nominations for the 2024 regional head elections (Pilkada). He also assessed that the current attitude of the political elite has damaged the political order, law, and the rules of democratic civility.
In response to this emergency situation, Arie said, UGM lecturers and education staff conveyed five statements of position. First, condemning all forms of intervention against legislative and judicial institutions aimed at manipulating democratic procedures as a means of perpetuating power. Second, rejecting various forms of legitimizing practices of power that distort the principles of democracy and people’s sovereignty.
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Third, he continued, encouraging and demanding the implementation of dignified and fair Pilkada and in accordance with correct and fair legal principles. Then, encouraging the General Election Commission (KPU) to maintain its dignity and principles as a dignified Pilkada organizer by adhering to the established legal rules, including complying with and fully implementing the Constitutional Court Decision Number 60/PUU-XXII/2024 and the Constitutional Court Decision Number 70/PUU-XXII/2024 as a legal basis.
“Fifth, inviting all levels of society as subjects of democracy to consolidate and actively participate in saving Indonesian Democracy,” he said.
(Z-9)
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