Sultan Calls Javanese and Non-Javanese Political Paradigm is Irrelevant to Democracy

26 October 2022 oleh admin

dpd.go.id - Vice chairman of the Indonesian House of Regional Representatives (DPD) Sultan B. Najamudin criticized the statements of several figures who expressed skepticism about the presence of non-Javanese presidential candidates.

According to him, the political paradigm of Java and non-Javanese or Javacentric is no longer relevant to be discussed in a large democratic country like Indonesia. Let's look at the British government, which today is led by a PM of Indian descent.

"It is true that there is a demographic reality and a large popular vote on the island of Java at every election moment. But that does not mean we close ourselves off and the opportunity for the election of the nation's best sons and daughters from other regions from all over Indonesia," said the former KNPI activist and HIPMI through its official statement on Wednesday (26/10).

Therefore, said Sultan, we must end the Java-centric political paradigm with the renewal of the political recruitment system for the candidates for presidential candidates in every direct election. President Jokowi is right, that political parties should not be careless in choosing a presidential candidate.

"Moreover, political parties tend to only look at the facts of popularity and electability as measured by political survey institutions. The political recruitment system for presidential candidates must be carried out with certain ideal nomination mechanisms and standards", said the youngest DPD leader from Bengkulu.

On the other hand, continued Sultan, he suggested that election results should not only be calculated from the popular vote but also measured by the distribution of the electoral college. Because we have to admit that the quality of our voters is very vulnerable to being manipulated by money politics and issues of identity politics.

"Thus we can balance political justice and the political paradigm of Javanese or non-Javanese. We should not always be trapped in the political dichotomy of ethnic and religious identity only who are judged to have the right to become national leaders," he said.

It is known, there are statements from several national figures regarding presidential candidates, which in reality, electoral politics and historically will only be represented by figures from the Javanese tribe.

Finally, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Erick Thohir said that he would not be elected if he even ran for president (Capres) in the 2024 presidential election. The president who would be elected, according to Erick, would be from the Javanese ethnic group. (*)