Monday, June 21, 2010

Adding Salt to Seawater


Democratic Party should be praised for 2 (two) things, namely: (i) its process of chairman election and (ii) the result itself. The process shows that the party members can vote on their own candidate freely without intervension and guidance from its patron, SBY. SBY-approved candidate, Andi Mallarangeng has been abandoned by the party members. The democrats show us the real democracy. And the party' last congress resulted in the new direction of the county's leadership. The newly elected party chairman, Anas Urbaningrum is young and dynamic representing regeneration in the party leadership. No other party does the same. And Anas is the next Democratic presidential might-wannabe. Despite this is an internal affairs, but we are yearning of the new leader for a better tomorrow of Indonesia. We have fed up with the old generation.

The downside of the story is the absence of meritocracy in the party development.

Recently, some of activists, bureaucrats, professionals come flocking to join the Demoratic Party. It seems everybody loves a winner. The liberal Muslim scholar, Ulil Abshar Abdalla will join the party and so will General Elections Commission member, Andi Nurpati. But what raises my eyebrow is Todung Mulya Lubis. I wonder why he does not apply for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman instead of joining Democrats. KPK, rather than Democratic Party, needs him a lot. To give a help to the winning party is like to add the salt in the seawater.

The nascent democracy sometimes appears comical. The party is not developed by system, where patchwork rather than meritocracy prevails. The popular outsiders are invited to strengthen the party. Can't we see the party's program to groom its leader from insiders as a result of the long-term forming of cadres?

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