I AM a citizen of Jakarta. I am just someone who believes in the power of democracy, someone who once hoped that the voice of the people could change the future. But today, I feel a pain I never anticipateda pain that comes from the injustice perpetrated by those who are supposed to protect democracy.
When I heard the news that Anies Baswedan failed in his candidacy for the Jakarta gubernatorial election, my heart felt pierced. Not because I am merely an admirer of Anies, but because this is concrete proof that the democracy we hold dear has been corrupted by those in power. Behind all the rhetoric about justice and equality, there are dirty hands at play, manipulating and decaying a system that should belong to us all.
I feel betrayed. The vote I cast with hope now feels like a mere breath in the wind, meaningless in the face of money and elite interests. It is suffocating to realize that the democracy I believed in has been trampled on, no longer pure, no longer clean. How can I trust a system that has turned into a playground for the greedy?
The voice of the people, once heralded as the voice of God, has now become a mere tool to deceive me and you, the people of Jakarta. The political elite has become the demons of democracy, robbing and manipulating the people’s voice. The parties that should capture the aspirations of the people have grown arrogant and force their interests upon the people. Can they still be trusted? What should the people do to hold them accountable?
But amid all this disappointment, something stirs within mea desire to resist, to not stay silent. I know I am not the only one feeling this pain. Out there, many others feel the same way, who also feel their voices are being ignored, their rights stolen. We are the victims of this political decay, but we will not remain silent.
I want to shout, to let the world know that we will not let this continue. The “empty ballot” is our symbol of resistance, a sign that we will no longer bow to a corrupt system. This is my way, our way, of showing that we still have power, that we will not surrender to this injustice.
I may be small, may seem insignificant in the eyes of those in power, but I am part of a great wave that will change everything. We will stand, we will fight, and we will reclaim the democracy that has been stolen from us. And on that day, when justice finally prevails, I will know that this struggle was not in vain.
Anies Baswedan’s failure in the Jakarta gubernatorial election is not just an ordinary story of political defeat. It is a stark reflection of how our democracy is under threat from the vile practices of the political elite and parties that should be the guardians of the people’s aspirations. Democracy, which should be a vessel for the people’s voice, has been tainted by narrow interests and manipulations that tarnish justice. The people are being handed leaders who are unqualified, leaders who are problematic, merely to satisfy the dirty desires of power-hungry elites.
However, in every darkness, there is always hope. Anies’s failure is not the end; it is a call for all of us to make corrections. The people have the power to change the situation, and one of the most peaceful yet powerful forms of resistance is to support the “empty ballot.” This is not just a directionless movement but a symbol of resistance against a system that has been corrupted by a few elites for too long.
After the closure of the Jakarta gubernatorial registration and Anies’s failure to be nominated by the parties, despite his significant potential to win Jakarta, it shows the dirty transactional politics of elite parties, ignoring the people’s voice. There are rumors that those who did not want Anies pressured problematic political elites with threats and legal instruments if they continued with his nomination.
The problematic political elites chose the safe route by ignoring the aspirations of the majority who supported Anies. The people have started to resist. Calls for abstaining from voting and winning the “empty ballot” are now rampant on social media.
The “empty ballot” is the people’s voice refusing to submit to power that no longer represents their will. It is a call for a cleaner, fairer, and more honest democracy. By supporting the “empty ballot,” we are not just showing dissatisfaction, but also raising awareness that democracy must be returned to its true owners: the people.
We all have a responsibility to protect democracy. Do not let this decay continue. Let’s move together, fight against injustice, and show that the people still have the power to determine their own future. Our resistance today is the hope for democracy tomorrow.
It’s time for the people to fight back against the evil and corrupt political forces that are trying to decay democracy and manipulate the people’s voice. This resistance confirms God’s command that you are the best community among many, as long as you are able to spread goodness and prevent evil and injustice.
Save democracy, it’s time for the people to refuse to bow down and rise up against oppression!
Isa Ansori, Columnist and Academic, Advisory Board Member of Perkumpulan Bumi Putera Indonesia Jawa Timur, Resides in Surabaya
Jakarta Gubernatorial Election: The Decay of Democracy and the Empty Ballot
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