[Unpad.ac.id, 25/11/2013] Popularity should not become the reason for one to elect a leader. The main consideration should be emphasized more on his/her vision, track record, honesty, trustworthiness, and willingness to become problem solver.
“We must not elect a leader from what he promises, but from his action,” says the head of Regional Representative Council (DPD) Republic of Indonesia, Irman Gusman, SE., MBA., when speaking on Monday (25/11) at the national seminar “Towards General Election 2014: Looking for Alternative Leaders in Regional Perspective” at Bale Sawala in Jatinangor—a seminar held a part of FISIP Summit 2013, organized by the student executive body of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Unpad.
According to him, what we need badly nowadays is a leader who is also a statesman, a visionary instead of a pragmatic politician who only has short term thinking. The general election in 2014 is said to be the critical point that determine the future of the nation. “If you choose the wrong leader, you’ll fall into the deepest abyss,” he says.
Recently, people political participation has decreased due to their lowering trust for many practical Indonesian politicians. The number of undecided voters has increased in the last few years, evident in several regional elections where the number of voters is smaller than those who did not vote.
“Several aspects factor in, one of which is people’s understanding that Indonesian politics has become dirtier than ever. Corruption has been internalized by many politicians. The people become apathetic,” says Gusman.
In addition, bureaucrats responsible for the carrying out of the general elections are biased, which affects the decreasing democracy index and enables manipulation to take place. Gusman suggests that students as agent of change should start taking part in educating the people and guiding them to elect the right leaders. Students are considered as the fourth pillar of democracy, after the executives, legislatives, and judicatives. History shows that students play strategic roles in the establishment and development of the nation, evident in the student movement of 1908 and reformation movement of 1998. “The fourth pillar of democracy is not only free press, but politically active students,” Gusman concludes.
