REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Nasihin Masha

Indonesian politics is similar to the geological location of Indonesia. The Indonesian archipelago located on the ring of fire, a cluster of volcanoes. Indonesia is also in the unstable earth plates. The erupted volcano was the sign energy release which accumulated due to the encouragement of magma. Tectonic earthquakes were also occurred due to the release of energy in the line of subduction.

Therefore, the threat of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes were the symptoms of 'routine and periodic'. Apparently, the natural phenomenon was also reflected in human behavior. Liking to collect energy to be released as an explosion at a time. At least we have experienced twice, in 1965 and 1998.

Every time there was an explosion, it was certainly cause damage. The energy that we were gathering all this time was disappear. Budi G Sadikin, President Director of Mandiri Bank, was illustrating, gross domestic product (GDP) was reached by Indonesia to 1998 could only be achieved again in 2004. It took six years.

We are becoming poorer, lost time, and increasingly lags behind other countries. Even our taxes, through the state budget, still continue to be paid to pay the mortgage of bank recapitalization. Our large companies were sold to foreigners. Our top human resources in IPTN (now PT DI) became diasporas in foreign airlines. Not to mention the human victims who were killed when riot, destruction of economic infrastructure, and other social damages.

Now, we're repaying a more energy when someday will be released into the explosion. One is shaped on aspiration fund which recently approved by the House of Representatives (DPR). Each board member is entitled to receive the aspiration funds amounting to Rp 20 billion per year. These funds are deposited in the ministry or local government to be physical and non-physical development program.

Of course, they always have an excuse that it was legal and did not crash into the rule of law and public administration. Whew. That’s the 'power' of oligarch. They seemed to have a magic wand and spell abracadabra. Kun faya kun. Be then so be it.

According to the constitution, parliament is the task of legislation, oversight, and budgeting. There is no task of making a bridge, building culverts, repairing roads and irrigation, as well as to empower people at the base of his constituency. Because, it is the duty of the government as an executive.

The presence of aspiration fund is undermining our constitutional system. It also would be followed by a variety of implications at the technical level, such as the names of the implementer, supervision, administration, governance, and so on. The presence of aspiration fund-whose name could be changed anything for deception-is part of the damage peak of this country.

The presence of aspiration fund is a continuation of the destruction process of political recruitment. Our political recruitment systems and practices are very rely on the power of money and very individual. It concerns with the party and electoral. As a result, not the best person elected, but people who could mobilize funds, to fool the system, and all kinds of other deadbeat behavior.

More and more employers were involved in politics, more and more politicians were concurrently became entrepreneurs. The quickest way to become a great entrepreneur was by siphoning the state budgets (APBN). Therefore, politics became transactional.

To be able to swing into parliament, a politician should have a big successful team, which is now called volunteers. They served to mobilize the masses, building the image and escorting the votes. All it took charge. The costs could be greater than the entire salary he received as a member of the parliament.

On the other hand, constituents and successful team that also continues to gape: demanding the charges during his master was in parliament. If it not fulfilled, his name will be destroyed, it could even have implications for the legal sphere. Inconvenient and scary, they could even not be elected again in the next period.

Now, the state has to bear all of it. It is our country, our money. This is the energy that was being collected by this country that will someday be released into the explosion. The first explosion took 20 years, a second explosion took 32 years.

The phenomenon of volunteering is increasingly institutionalized, including in the presidential election. What befell to Parliament members were demonstratively practiced by president’s volunteer. They were demonstrated demanding entered the presidential transition team, and entered become commissioner of state-owned enterprises (BUMN), there were jamboree of volunteers, and they were also based in the presidential palace. This is the latest portrait of Indonesia. All, of course, there is a cost.

We certainly do not want any explosion which struck us again. The thing we want is no acceleration of progress as has been achieved by Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, China, India, Turkey, Brazil, and even South Africa. However, the signs in the directions are not very light.

President Joko Widodo must have the courage to act. The doorstop to thwart the aspiration funds are only leaving in the hands of the President. The president can refuse to sign this budget. The question, is the president dare to do that? Let us see on the next episode.

Reformation era has lasted 17 years. Signs of progress of the new order are not so encouraging. What happens is that the reconsolidation of conservatism, the return of the political elite, oligarchic and plutocratic of political and political enactment of the cartel. Therefore, looting the wealth of state –natural resources, state-owned enterprises, and the state budget are rampant.

Indonesia's reform path is like paddling a canoe on a lake filled with water hyacinth. We could uncover, but with the passage of the boat, the open water is slowly closed again by water hyacinth.

We need leaders who are qualified in realizing the ideals of economic justice and capable of consolidating power with a stable.

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