Political Parties Reluctant To Improve, Demonstration To DPR Is Only A Routine Without Solution

JAKARTA - The demonstration that led to a riot that lasted from August 25 to September 1 triggered a list of aspirations named 17+8 of the People's Claims which were divided into two parts, namely 17 People's Demands In 1 Week and 8 People's Demands In 1 Year.

President Prabowo Subianto immediately responded to the demand which revealed that the leadership of the DPR RI would revoke several policies, including the amount of allowances and moratoriums for overseas visits. Then, the DPR leaders said that several policies of the DPR RI would be revoked, including the amount of allowances for members of the DPR, as well as moratorium on working abroad visits," Prabowo said at a press conference at the State Palace, Sunday, August 31, 2025.

The parliament also followed up when the Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, chaired a meeting with the DPR leadership and leaders of political party factions on Thursday, September 4, 2025. The goal is to discuss the transformation of the DPR, including the aspirations of the people.

Peaceful Action in the UGM Roundabout, Yogyakarta. (Voi/Gonang Susatyo)

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

"I have just led a reshuffle for the transformation of the DPR. All the Faction Chairmen agreed to stop housing allowances for members, and carry out a moratorium on working visits for members and commissions of the DPR," he said.

"The DPR is always open and evaluates. In principle, the DPR will continue to improve and improve itself. What is the aspiration of the community, we will definitely make constructive input," continued Puan.

Former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Jimly Asshiddiqie, assessed that the response of the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives to the demands of the people should have been carried out. This is because these demands should not be considered a passing wind and the aspirations of the people who have been clearly formulated need to be a momentum for improving the state system.

"The momentum of public demands 17+8 must be taken seriously to improve the state system, including the importance of institutional restructuring the MPR, DPR, DPD for the effectiveness of the people's aspiration channels, improving the judicial system and eradicating the KKN," he explained.

According to him, the consolidation of democracy can only run if political institutions and laws are really a means of channeling the aspirations of the people, not just a formality. Therefore, public demands such as 17+8 must be seen as a stern warning as well as an opportunity to reorganize the direction of reform.

Researcher of the Indonesian Parliamentary Concerned Community Forum (Formappi), Lucius Karus also appreciated the DPR's decision to revoke official housing allowances for council members in line with 17+8 of the people's demands.

However, he highlighted the DPR's decision not to reduce salaries and other allowances. The reason is, if you look at the total monthly take-out of members who are still at the level of Rp. 65 million per month. "So only housing allowances are really dare to be removed by the DPR," he added.

Lucius also questioned why the DPR could dare to remove housing allowances but did not dare to remove several other benefits that also seemed excessive. For example, an intensive communication allowance that penetrates Rp20,033,000 per month.

"There are many who ask, what is the execution of the intensive communication allowance with the community? Buy credit, buy packages, or what? How intensive is the communication of DPR members with support for such a large visit," he said.

Another thing that is in the spotlight, continued Lucius, is that there are still allowances for positions and allowances for honorary members of the DPR and there are still many other items that are still considered too big. These are two benefits with the same meaning. Both want to respect the position of members of the DPR? Why should it be made into two types of allowances? Moreover, the nominal value for each is quite large, Rp. 9,700,000. That is an allowance for positions, while Rp. 7,187,000 for honorary allowances for members of the DPR RI," he said.

Internal Revolution Of Political Parties Is The Key To Improvement Of The DPR

Former Chairperson of the 1998 Political Reform, Ryaas Rasyid, underlined the function of the DPR RI as an absorption of the aspirations of the people which is considered no longer carried out today. This is said to be the cause of public disappointment, causing a wave of public demonstrations.

"I see that the DPR RI functions more as an extension of the political party. The public views the members of the DPR as only the accomplices of political parties, so that the aspirations of the people are put aside because their obedience is only to the chairman of political parties," he said.

He also criticized the phenomenon of political parties that were considered to have influenced the performance of the DPR for the community. Not to mention the coalitions. As if when the coalition has agreed, the DPR is valid to implement it. They only carry out consensus outside that has been agreed upon by party leaders," added Ryaas.

The leadership of the DPR when receiving BEM and student organizations (ANTARA)

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

"It's okay"

The Minister of State Empowerment of State Apparatus under President Abdurrahman Wahid emphasized that the DPR RI as the people's representative had lost its spirit so that the nuances of people's representation fled.

"So the nuance of people's representation in the DPR has run away. They cannot freely absorb the aspirations of the people, because the aspirations that are highlighted are from the party. If the party has given this direction, members must obey," he said.

A similar opinion was expressed by the executive director of PPI, Adi Prayitno, who considered that the improvement in the performance of the DPR RI should start from the upstream process, namely the recruitment of legislative candidates (caleg) by political parties. Because, as long as the selection mechanism within the party does not change significantly, it is difficult to expect a better quality of the DPR. The key to DPR reform is to improve the recruitment of legislative candidates in political parties. All candidates are required from parties. Simple right, "he said.

He emphasized that considering that all legislative candidates must be promoted by political parties, it is the party that should take full responsibility for the quality of the people's representatives. Therefore, Adi regretted that the party only made legislative candidates an electoral tool without considering their capacity, integrity, and track record.

However, he questioned the political party's intention and will to carry out an internal revolution for the sake of improvement. "The problem is, whether or not political parties revolutionize themselves. I don't think I am sure. As long as political parties are not willing to improve, criticism of the DPR will only become a routine without a real solution," said Adi.