Faisal Basri Calls Social Assistance In The Election For The Implementation Of Pig Gentong Politics

University of Indonesia economist, Faisal Basri (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - University of Indonesia economist, Faisal Basri, said that the distribution of social assistance in the General Election contestation (Pemilu) was a political form of pork gentong or Pork Barrel Politics.

He made this statement when he was an expert from the petitioner Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin during the General Election Result Dispute (PHPU) trial at the Constitutional Court, Monday, April 1.

Starting from Faisal Basri, he conveyed about the political theory of pork gentongs like money disbursement. Then, it is stated that there are differences in its application in developed and developing countries.

Especially in developing countries, including Indonesia, it is said that politics targets poverty.

"So in general, this pork barrel in developing countries has a different form, because the income is still low, the poverty rate is high in Indonesia, the poor are extreme, almost poor, vulnerable to poverty, it's almost half of the population, so the food is in front of the eyes of politicians, because indeed they are more sensitive of course to the distribution of types of social assistance, social assistance, which is ad hoc in nature," said Faisal.

Then, Faisal mentioned the government through the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Home Affairs has tried to prevent social assistance politicization during the Regional Head Election or Regional Head Elections. You do this, making rules at the regional level or regional regulation.

"The interior minister said he would follow the KPK's advice to make regulations through the regional regulation to deal with the regional elections for two to three months, there should be no social assistance," he said.

With this reflection, it means, said Faisal, the government is aware of the potential for social assistance politicization. However, questions arise that there are no rules at the national or electoral level.

"Aware here, but the question is that the Pilkada is limited, the election is not. So this proves how effective social assistance is quantitatively and qualitatively," said Faisal.

Meanwhile, the Anies-Cak Imin camp presented 7 experts. In addition, there were 11 witnesses who were brought in by applicant I at today's trial.

The academics presented by the Anies-Muhaimin team have various backgrounds in the field of science, ranging from the economy, government, to regional autonomy.

Here are the 7 experts who were brought in today:

1. Bambang Eka Cahya, a government expert

2. Faisal Basri, senior economist

3. Ridwan, an administrative law expert

4. Vid Adrison, UI economist

5. Yudi Prayudi, Head of the Center for Digital Forensic Studies (PUSFID) UII Yogyakarta

6. Anthony Budiawan, Managing Director of Political Economy and Policy Studies (PEPS)

7. Djohermansyah Djohan, a regional autonomous expert

For information, the presidential election dispute lawsuit filed by Anies and Muhaimin as applicants has case number 2/PHPU.PRES-XXII/2024. In essence, the applicant revealed 11 betrayals of the constitution and violations of the free, honest and fair principles in the 2024 presidential election.