Indonesia can guide Malaysia back onto democratic path

General elections in 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 as well as direct presidential elections since 2004 are testament to the wave of democratisation here.

Three decades of iron-fisted regime could not prevent eventual peaceful transition from authoritarian to democratic rule.

Today, like the economic and development agenda, democracy increasingly serves as a strategic pillar of Indonesian foreign policy, especially in dealing with the rest of Southeast Asia. Democracy, as emphasised in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Charter, is accepted as a common regional goal through the creation of the Asean Community.

However, de facto democracy has not been fully implemented in most countries in Southeast Asia.

In fact, anti-democratic attitudes have persistently haunted most of the region. In fact, Indonesia is practically the only Southeast Asian country that meets democratic standards, although the consolidation of democracy remains a work in progress here.

In that regard, many observers look to Indonesia to play a lead role in promoting democracy, acting as a role model for its Southeast Asian neighbours.

To further that aim, democracy should serve as the basis for Indonesia’s diplomatic outreach.

In recent years, important steps in that direction have achieved success.

The upcoming milestone democratic election in Myanmar, for example, owes something to Indonesia’s willingness to share its democratic practices.

Soon after taking office in March 2011, Myanmar’s President Thein Sein met with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to learn about Indonesia’s political transition from authoritarian to democratic rule.

Thein Sein also expressed interest in Indonesia’s efforts to sustain democracy.

One year after the bilateral meeting, Myanmar successfully held a democratic election after more than 20 years under military rule.

That development offered a genuine ray of hope for the development of democracy in Southeast Asia.

But calls for greater democracy have been voiced loudly in many communities across the region, including in Malaysia.

In 2007, 2011 and 2012 the Bersih movement proved itself to be a powerful force in demanding clean and fair elections in Malaysia.

Today, the movement is upping the pressure by demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak over a financial scandal.

Najib has come under political pressure ever since the Wall Street Journal published documents showing US$700 million in state funds had flowed into his personal bank accounts since 2013.

Malaysian authorities responded to last weekend’s Bersih protest by blocking access to websites that disseminate information about the campaign.

Police have declared the movement illegal and threatened to take legal action against participants.

Beyond the corruption allegations, Najib has failed in his efforts to halt the decline in the Malaysian economy.

In August, the ringgit depreciated by 3.91 against the US dollar, resulting in a 17-year low as the sell-off in the stock market intensified amid weakening growth prospects that continue to drag down investor sentiment.

The weakening currency points to an economic crisis. Meanwhile growing public distrust in government is brewing a political crisis.

It is only a matter of time before the ramifications of these crises explodes into deeper public turmoil that will be difficult to manage.

Now is the time for Indonesia to exercise soft diplomacy to restrain the Malaysian authorities from any use of violence against the protesters or from curbs on freedom of speech. Indonesia’s experience in the Myanmar election sent a clear message to Malaysia that conflict and political turmoil can be resolved through dialogue.

Sooner or later, the wind of democracy will blow through our Southeast Asian neighbours as happened in Indonesia 17 years ago.

Attempts to resist it – like those we are witnessing from the ruling political elite in Malaysia – will end in failure, as pressures from within and all over the world eventually hold sway.

Democracy has become the historical collective will. The universal measure of the political legitimacy has become the degree of democracy and political openness it embraces. 

 

Bawono Kumoro heads the Department of Politics and Government at the Habibie Centre, Jakarta.