During an online public discussion that was streamed live on PARA Syndicate's YouTube channel on Friday, head of BRIN's Political Research Center, Firman Noor, said that such a party can be formed through the provision of accountable financial support from the state.
Earlier during the discussion, he said that oligarchy has become an increasing threat to Indonesian politics.
He opined that this threat manifests itself in the form of economic inequality in Indonesia that allows the emergence of exclusive groups. These groups are the ones that control the nation's political activity, he claimed.
"To this day, even since back then, it is hard to say that we are free from oligarchy since economic inequality has given birth to exclusive groups with overwhelming economic resources," he elaborated.
Noor deemed that the threat is supported by the expensive cost of politics that only oligarchs can bear.
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The threat of oligarchy was evident in an incident in 2019 when university students took to the streets and protested a policy that seemed to support the oligarchs, he said.
They demanded that the President revoke the Corruption Eradication Commission Law Revision (RUU KPK) and the Criminal Code Revision Bill (RUU KUHP) that were deemed to be a form of the government's submission to the oligarchs, he explained.
"It would be unimaginable how difficult it would be for us to face the power of oligarchs who have the power to potentially erode our democratic life," Noor said.
In general, this quality of political life is a consequence of weak democracy and civil society institutions, he argued.
In addition, there are also other factors such as the prevalence of opportunistic political actors, economic inequality, and Indonesian education that do not strengthen the value of democracy, he added.
To this end, Noor said he hopes that there will be one generation of elites and government officials who fight against economic inequality.
Related news: Former chief justice calls to end political oligarchy
Translator: Tri Ameliya, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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