The Legislative and
Presidential elections were over. The presidential election on July 9, 2014 had
the result already announced, although the loser candidate refused to accept
defeat and protested the Electoral Commission [KPU].
Joko Widodo – Jusuf Kalla team had been declared as
elected President defeating Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa. For the first time
ever in history, Presidential election in Indonesia was only participated by
two candidate pairs and Jokowi-JK won thinly by around 8 million votes.
Noteworthy was Jokowi’s victory speech which underscored
the spirit of reconciliation for Indonesia’s unity. Family he said: “Let’s
forget number one, let’s forget number two now there is only Indonesia,
there-finger salutation for national unity”
Noteworthy was the statement of Dahlan Iskan, the
Ministry of BUMN thst there was no time for the next President to sit on his
laurels. The problems to be faced were really complex and must be tackled at
once. No procrastinations! Public participation through the campaign period
must be maintained for the next 5 years.
Jokowi-JK had strong social asset in the form of public
support to build Indonesia. There were many virtuous things in the process of
election, the most notable being tolerance of the Indonesian people in
accepting the election outcome. The winner was not over exited and the loser
did not lose control.
Beside the social asset at home, Jokowi-JK also had
international support. World leaders congratulated him for being elected
President, among others US President Barrack Obama, Australian Prime Minister
Tony Abbott, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Husein Loong, Malaysia’s Prime
Minister Najib Razak. In international diplomacy congratulatory messages were
more than just lip service.
With international relationship as frame of reference,
congratulatory expression was something very natural but within a broader
context, world leaders responses could be rated world recognition of the
process of democracy development in Indonesia. All the uproars of political
rethorics through the campaign rounds had drawn the word’s attention. Some
international monitoring agencies had been closely watching the debate process
and certainly not without reason.
Indonesia is, by population, the third biggest democratic
nation in the world. The presidential election was a transition of power
through democratic way which would testify Indonesia’s maturity in running
democracy. The world would see Indonesia’s changing face after the election
while Indonesia market was important to the world.
The warm response from the international communities
reminded us of similar occurrence in the world such as when Narendra Modi won
the election as India’s Prime Minister last May, or when Barrack Obama was
elected as president in 2008. The world’s recognition underscored the winners’
importance.
The world’s attention was characterized by spotlight of
the international mass media who commented that Jokowi’s meeting had not been
an easy victory since in the past Indonesian leaders were always from the
political elites or the military. By positive thinking, Indonesia should see
the world’s attention as a universal expectation of Indonesia’s role in the
global system whether in the aspects of economy, security, or international
politics.
The universal expectations had two facades. On the one
facades, Indonesia’s new leader was believed to act differently in running
international diplomacy but still constructive. The focus was still
prioritizing national interest than foreign interest. The best response to
those international remarks was to build international relationship based on
national interest.
Now the change was open for the Government of RI to play
better strategic role in the international forum by responding to some world’s
leader who acclaimed Jokowi’s victory as Indonesia’s next President for the
2014 – 2019 period. The international support served as lubricant for the next
government to foster bilateral and multilateral relationship to promote trading.
The support strengthened Indonesia’s strategic position
in regional and international organizations where Indonesia was member, such as
the World Bank, Asia Development Bank, International monetary Fund, the Islamic
Development Bank, ASEAN and APEC. (SS)
Business New - August 8, 2014
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