Why Indonesians Distrust Their Leaders
February 6, 2014 Leave a comment
Why Indonesians Distrust Their Leaders
By Jakarta Globe on 11:04 pm February 5, 2014.
In a working democracy, elected men or women with public jobs must be the best and most trusted people within that particular country. They were chosen by voters who have placed their trust in these men and women to serve and protect them.
When following this train of logic, the private sector — including businesses — should be the least trusted because they will attempt to fulfill their own interests, which in the companies’ case is maximizing profits. However, the 2014 Edelman trust barometer survey shows that these preconceived notions are not always accurate, especially in Indonesia.
According to the survey, 82 percent of respondents placed their trust in businesses compared to only 53 percent for the government. The 29-percent gap is one of the world’s highest between the private and public sector.
A high level of trust in companies is a crucial element in attracting more business to the country. However, the survey shows that Indonesians view general elections as just another method for filling public jobs. To us, a country holds elections because that is what’s done in a democratic system; not because it is our responsibility to choose the more capable person to guide the country in moving forward. In Indonesia, voters choose leaders because these people are thrown at them.
It has been said so many times before, it has turned into a cliche: corruption is to blame for the lack of trust in our government. How can we expect people to trust government officials when we experience extortion on a daily basis, from getting a birth certificate to obtaining permission to bury the dead?
People have no faith in the government because it fails to enforce the law; you need to only walk onto the streets to see it. A driver, for instance, can violate any traffic regulation without being punished.
Indonesia needs educated voters to have quality leaders and law enforcers to uphold the law. Until then, trust in the government will remain low.
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