Special Seminar on “Indonesian Presidential Election 2014”

Date: November 17th, 2014 16.00-18.00
Venue: Room No. 107 on the first floor of East building, CSEAS, Kyoto University

Speaker:
Dr.Ahmad Suaedy
Dr.Okamoto Masaaki

Abstract:
Role of Volunteers and Deepening Democracy in the 2014 Indonesian Presidential Election
Ahmad Suaedy

Unlike in previous elections, the 2014 Presidential election revealed an interesting
phenomenon: the emergence of a movement by volunteers. These volunteers worked
both individually and in groups, across all classes in society, from the lower classes
such as housewives, traders at traditional markets, musicians and the youth, to
businessmen and political figures. Their movement was not directly connected with
the party supporting Jokowi-JK, although over the course of the election they did
cooperate. A similar thing had occurred previously when Jokowi and Basuki Tjahaya
Purnama alias Ahok ran in the 2012 regional election for Jakarta. This volunteer
movement seems to resemble what Mashall Ganz described as “organizing without
an organization” after the election of Barack Obama in the 2008 US Presidential
election.

This presentation will present the findings from research undertaken during the 2014
election. The volunteers were a breakthrough for change, not only political change
and transfer of power, but also radical change to the tradition of Presidential elections
and the process of democracy in Indonesia itself. First, there were no transactions or
money politics to secure nomination as candidates on behalf of Jokowi-JK, neither
of whom were the leader of a party. This was because of, secondly, the wide spread
support from society, which was mobilised by volunteers. Volunteers also persuaded
those who usually did not vote (golput) to attend a polling booth, without paying them
to do so. The decrease in percentage of no votes made a significant contribution to the
votes won by Jokowi-JK.

Also of interest, and thirdly, is that the volunteers were motivated by “trust” in
Jolowi to spread a message of radical change due to his track record of initiating
radical change as Mayor of Solo in Central Java, and Governor of Jakarta. These
changes include anti-corruption initiatives, transparency, order and cleanliness
and enforcement of a system of fairness in governance. Forth, both in the Jakarta
election and the Presidential election, sectarianism was a negative weapon used in a
black campaign against Jokowi, who was labeled a kafir (infidel), Chinese and not
religiously observant. However this campaign was unable to prevent the election of
Jokowi-JK as President and Vice President.

Politics of Transgender (Waria) in the 2014 Presidential Election in Indonesia
Okamoto Masaaki

One of the most intriguing phenomena in the 2014 election in Indonesia was the
active political participation of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) or the
organized LGBT. They strongly supported Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as the next president.
They belong to the minorities and they tend to be discriminated politically, economically
and socially. They are sometimes the targets of physical attacks by the Islamic radicals
because their existence is considered to be against the Islamic teachings. Facing these
challenges, they have actively formed the organizations to fight for their own human rights
or they are active to stop the diffusion of HIV/AIDS especially after the democratization. But
they were rather passive in real politics and elections. But the rise of Jokowi has changed
this passive attitude. The political opportunity structure was widely opened.

One of the key factors of the winning of Jokowi as the president was the role of
volunteers (relawan) for him. Those who had no interest in politics or those who hated
politics started to join the political volunteers for Jokowi. They supported Jokowi in the on-
line and off-line politics. And the Jokowi campaign team loosely organized them in every
part of Indonesia. The LGBT organizations joined this relawan movement. Almost all the
organized LGBT supported Jokowi because they believed that Jokowi would be the
defender of pluralism, tolerant Islam and he would care for the weak and the minorities.

The most conspicuous organization among the LGBTs was the transgender
(waria) organization, the Indonesia waria communication forum (Forum Komunikasi Waria
se-Indonesia) which has the branches all over Indonesia. The forum asked all the waria to
support Jokowi and openly orchestrated the demonstration to support Jokowi on the streets
in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia.

Their voice is, of course, quite small, but their political visibility is quite important
for the deepening of democracy in the plural society of Indonesia. If their voice can be
continuously heard socially and politically, it does show that Indonesia is in the second
stage of democratization.