“The quality of democracy depends on the level of civilization within a nation’s society.” This statement was delivered by Prof. Salim Said, MA., MAIA., during a public lecture organized by the Government Studies Program on January 5, 2012, at the 1st Floor Hall of AR. Fachruddin Mosque, UMM. The UMM Professor of Government Studies emphasized that democracy requires human resources that are politically, culturally, and economically mature. If these three aspects are deemed immature, a democratic political system will not function effectively and may instead lead to actions that undermine democracy, such as money politics and anarchy, he explained.
Democracy is a political system that places society as the primary force of the state. Therefore, everything that happens in a nation reflects the actions of its people. The quality of a nation depends on the behavior of its society. “SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono), the President of Indonesia, was chosen by the people. Hence, if his performance is poor or suboptimal in fulfilling his duties, it reflects the quality of the people’s political awareness,” he continued, elaborating on the strengths and weaknesses of democracy as a political system.
The political culture of Indonesian society is largely dominated by sectarian and patriarchal tendencies. “Indonesians elect a president based on tribal considerations: whether the candidate is Javanese or not, whether they are Muslim or not, or whether they have familial ties. These considerations heavily influence the direction of political choices in Indonesia. In the 2014 presidential election, the winner is likely to be an elite figure of Javanese descent and certainly a Muslim,” he analyzed, predicting the dynamics of the 2014 election.
The public lecture, themed “Democracy and Political Conflict in the 2014 Elections,” was conducted with great seriousness. Government Studies students were truly enlightened by the material presented by the former Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Many students asked questions about current political conditions, law enforcement, and the socio-cultural landscape in Indonesia.
Afrizal expressed his hopes, saying, “We hope that Prof. Salim Said can return to teach in the Government Studies program to bring new perspectives and enrich our knowledge. His experience traveling to various countries worldwide would be invaluable for us,” he said optimistically.
