Elvan Dany Sutrisno, Jakarta – At a time when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is in a precarious position with hundreds of pro-KPK activists calling on the ordinary people to unite and safeguard the fight against corruption, it is ironic that efforts by the ordinary people to save the KPK have in fact drawn criticism from government ministers and the political elite that support President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
This lop-sided view was conveyed bluntly by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno who considers the speeches by pro-KPK activists to be provoking the ordinary people.
“Don’t inflame the masses, call on the ordinary people, inflame the people. Come on we’re not allowed to things like that, it’s a childish position. [The KPK should be] independent, strong. The constitution will support it, not the bogus support of the ordinary people”, asserted Purdijatno at the Presidential Palace on Saturday January 24.
Purdijatno is not alone. A similarly questionable view of anti-corruption activists was also conveyed by former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief retired General A.M. Hendropriyono, who is also among the ranks of President Widodo’s supporters. This is also regrettable because Jokowi should be maintaining his commitment to eradicate corruption.
“I think all the demagogy by observers and paid demonstrators and the like who are sowing hate, hostility and always blaming others without having any real solutions, is just anti-establishment, they should be thrown in jail!”, wrote Hendropriyono in a written message.
The Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language (KBBI) defines the term demagogy (demagog) as a motivator (leader) of the ordinary people who knows how to incite and arouse the spirit of the people to gain power.
If Mr Jokowi does indeed have a commitment to eradicate corruption, why does he remain silent when the KPK is in such a precarious position while his own people join in inflaming the situation?
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Ironi Aktivis Pro KPK Disebut Demagog hingga Rakyat Tak Jelas.]
