UGM Academics Present Bulaksumur Petition on National Political Dynamics

A group of academics from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has unveiled the Bulaksumur Petition, expressing concerns about the state of national politics and the violation of democratic principles leading up to the 2024 elections. 

The petition was articulated by Professor Koentjoro, alongside numerous professors, scholars, alumni, and activists from the UGM Student Executive Board (BEM KM UGM), on Wednesday (Jan. 31) at the Balairung Hall of the UGM Central Building.

Professor Koentjoro said that the petition from the UGM academic community was prompted by the observed deviations from moral democracy, populism, and social justice within the national political landscape for some time.

“We lament the deviant actions witnessed during President Joko Widodo’s administration, who is also a part of the UGM family,” he expressed.

“Ethical transgressions in the Constitutional Court, the involvement of law enforcement officers in the ongoing representative democracy process, and the president’s wavering stance on public officials’ participation in political campaigns, vacillating between neutrality and favoritism, are all manifestations of deviation and apathy towards democratic principles.”

Professor Koentjoro urged President Joko Widodo, as a UGM alumnus, to uphold UGM’s ethos, rooted in Pancasila values, by fortifying democratization to meet high moral standards and achieve the objective of establishing a legitimate government. 

“This is crucial for continuing the relay of leadership to fulfill noble aspirations as outlined in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution,” he added.

Preceding the petition’s presentation, several academics delivered speeches at the academic podium under the theme “Preserving the Purity of Indonesian Democracy.” 

Notable speakers included former UGM Rector for the period 2002-2007, Professor Sofian Effendi; former UGM Rector for the period 2017-2022, Professor Panut Mulyono; Professor Yati Soenarto from the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing; Dr. Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Constitutional Law lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Law; Dr. Abdul Gaffar Karim, lecturer at the Department of Politics and Government, UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences; and Chair of BEM KM UGM Gielbran Muhammad Noor.

Professor Panut Mulyono emphasized that elections, as an integral part of the ongoing democratic process, must uphold fairness and integrity in selecting leaders at both legislative and executive levels. 

“By truly adhering to the principles of elections, we can elect legitimate leaders who genuinely care for the people and can drive significant progress,” he remarked.

He further underscored the necessity for all state officials, including those in the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and POLRI (Indonesian National Police), as well as civil servants, to refrain from favoring any candidate and prioritize the nation and state’s interests. 

“We aspire for registered voters to approach polling stations with eagerness and pride to exercise their voting rights by their conscience,” he stressed.

On the other hand, Dr. Abdul Gaffar Karim pointed out the comparative differences in democratic practices between Indonesia and the United States, noting that the US exhibits a more robust electoral process with stronger roles for the opposition and civil society in overseeing the government. 

“A robust opposition and civil society are essential for enhancing democracy, yet in the past decade, our opposition seems to have waned,” he remarked.

He urged fellow participants to revitalize civil society to serve as the guardians of democracy in the homeland. 

“Let’s restore civil society to oversee power. Democracy flourishes when the people are vigilant and watchful,” he concluded.

Author: Gusti Grehenson

Photographer: Firsto