In Indonesia’s presidential race, identity politics fuelled by social media is testing both democracy and diversity

Melani Budianta says as both President Joko Widodo and his opponent deploy nationalist rhetoric with a religious flavour in their campaigns, and social media hoaxes proliferate, social solidarity and faith in democracy itself are under threat

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo (left) and his opponent in the presidential race, Prabowo Subianto, applaud at an event to kick off campaigning for the 2019 general election at the National Monument in Jakarta on September 23, 2018. Photo: AFP

Melani Budianta

Melani Budianta is a professor of literature and cultural studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia.

Published: 10:00am, 12 Feb 2019Updated: 2:27pm, 21 Mar 2019

In two months, Indonesians will elect their next president, choosing between the incumbent, President Joko Widodo, and ex-general Prabowo Subianto. This is a rerun of the 2014 election, when Widodo, who quit his position as Jakarta’s governor, defeated the same rival by a 6 per cent margin. In today’s Indonesia, with its complex democracy, diverse population and the world’s largest Muslim population, this is not a mere routine at five-year intervals. Larger issues loom over this political contest, which might determine the country’s future.

April’s election will be the largest since Indonesia began the process of democratisation in 1998, with both the presidential and legislative polls being held at the same time across the country. What is at stake and why?

First, the social solidarity of Indonesia’s over 250 million people – spread across more than 17,000 islands, with over 700 languages spoken by 300 ethnic groups – is under threat.

The country’s motto, “unity in diversity”, has not been easily maintained over its history. At least 500,000 people were killed in the traumatic anti-communist purge in the cold-war era, and many more as part of military efforts to curb secessionist movements in Aceh and Papua. President Suharto’s authoritarian, militaristic rule entrenched centralised control for 32 years.

While the government is now decentralised down to the district level, with legislative and presidential elections being held on a one-person-one-vote basis, authoritarian rule has been replaced by horizontal tension and a complex power struggle between patrimonial political-business elites, who exploit the weak implementation of the law and resort to identity politics.

Supporters wave as they wear masks depicting Indonesian President Joko Widodo during a rally in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, in November last year. Photo: AP