Call Indonesia More Authoritarian, PDIP: Criticism Cannot Be Faced with Repression

(Photo: PDIP doc)

JAKARTA - Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Hasto Kristiyanto considers that Indonesian democracy has regressed and is moving towards centralization of power. In the commemoration of Pancasila's Birthday, he even said that Indonesia had turned into a populist authoritarian state in the second term of President Joko Widodo's government.

Hasto made the statement when he was an inspector at the Pancasila Birthday Ceremony at the At Taufiq Mosque, Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta.

"We strongly regret that political and economic democracy, which is the core substance of Indonesian democracy, has now turned into a centralized democracy. Moreover, in the second term of President Jokowi, Indonesia has turned into a populist authoritarian state," said Hasto, Monday, June 1.

According to Hasto, the commemoration of Pancasila's birthday should not stop as an annual ceremony. He assessed that the values contained in Pancasila must be present in the practice of state administration, including in guaranteeing the civil liberties of citizens.

"It must become a reality in daily life that manifests itself as independence from fear, independence of opinion, association, and assembly. This humanity is against various forms of abuse of power by state apparatuses that should protect the people," said Hasto.

In his speech, Hasto also touched on the growing concern of civil society about the democratic space, which is considered to be narrowing. He said PDIP was paying serious attention to various symptoms that were considered to threaten freedom of expression.

"PDI Perjuangan is very concerned about the strengthening of militarism. We also reject various forms of gagging against critical community components as often voiced by civil society in recent times," he said.

According to Hasto, criticism of the government is part of the responsibility of citizens in democratic life. Therefore, critical attitudes should not be faced with a repressive approach.

"Critical attitude is the political responsibility of every Indonesian citizen because of love for the homeland. Critical attitude cannot be faced with repression," continued Hasto.

In addition to highlighting the condition of democracy, Hasto also touched on law enforcement which he said was no longer independent of the interests of power. He claimed that law enforcement and state apparatus were used for electoral political interests, especially ahead of the 2024 election.

Due to this condition, Hasto said his party had conveyed an official stance in the PDIP National Working Meeting. "Then in the National Working Meeting, the PDI-P apologized to all Indonesian people for the change in the character of power due to the ambition of power," explained Hasto.