Not a Few Amounts

General election of 2009 will be carried out on forthcoming April. On Monday (July 7, 2008) General Election Commission (KPU) has announced names of political parties which will become general election participant in 2009. It has been ensured that 2009 general election will be followed by 34 political parties consisting of 16 old political parties of 2004 election participants and 18 new of them. The amount of participants experiences increase compared with general election of 2004, however it’s permanently lower than that of 1999 general election (48 political parties).

The Birth of White Faction (Golput)

After the amount of political parties from 2009 general election participants being determined, the growing issue concerns with White Faction (golput) or abstain vote. There are two supporting factors to create white faction at 2009 general election. First of all is primary factor, namely, existence of public’s saturation with political parties. Public is saturated by unproven political party’s pledges. Political party elites are scrambling of powers one another rather than fighting for people’s aspiration. This situation was seen by public and makes them apathetic to politics. Public feel of no use applying their suffrage to vote, since public is uncertain their voice will be heard. This situation makes indifferent and apathetic public with general election or Selection of Regional Leader (Pilkada).

Secondly is supplementary factor, namely, implication from the many amounts of 2009 general election participants. In one side, the fungus of newly political parties show existence of high euphoria enough from Indonesian public to built-in enliven general election of 2009. Indonesian public troop up to build political party on the chance of their aspiration can be channeled. However, the exceedingly number of political parties will not give any large advantages. In fact, it can bewilder them. Bewilderment is started from recognition of political party’s symbol and names which to say, looked like one another. Then recognition of their mission, vision, and also carried by issues political party. With the available amount of political party, it cannot be avoided that issues and ideology which they offer are not far different out of each other. Therefore, public would progressively confuse to choose such party which really as according to their aspiration. In the end, this confusion can bear an attitude for not to choose.

Referring to previous general election, simply white faction has participated in it. As in legislative general election 2004, white faction reached 34.509.246 people or 23,34% from registered amount of total electors. This number increased from total of 10.4% in general election of 1999. Based on fact from general election 1999 and 2004, it also can be seen from some region election (Pilkada). For example, in West Java region election, the voices of white faction reached 9,13 million people out of 27,9 million listed electors . In Central Java, the abstain number reached more than 40% . In Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) region election, the amount of white faction voices reached 516.718 of 2.646.114 electors. The latest was  Nusa Tenggara Barat region election ( NTB) which newly specified on Monday, July 14, 2008 ago. The amount of public who didn't apply for their suffrage reached 752.799 or about 25% from total registered electors.

Ironic Situation

The basic functions of political party are not to bear white faction and public’s apathy to politics. According To Miriam Budiardjo, there are four functions of political party. One of them serves as a medium for political communications, namely to channel opinion miscellaneous and public’s aspiration, also arranges them in such a way so that public’s disorderly can be decreased. In fact, it reverses. It’s only cause confusion which delivering indifference at general election. Ironic, isn’t it?

This should become a commemoration for us to face the next general election of 2009. Based on the facts, it isn’t impossible while the amount of white faction will increase in the next general election of 2009. The amount of restriction political party, suggested by political expert, has been too late to be done. Actions must be done by government and political party to minimize white faction. General election socialization, which planned during next nine months, has to be interrogated. Therefore public’s saturation can be overcome and public will choose. The government and political party have to strive since democracy’s euphoria will not have a meaning if only followed by some of Indonesian public.