Celebrities in Indonesian Politics: a Voters’ Perspective
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CELEBRITIES IN INDONESIAN POLITICS: A VOTERS’ PERSPECTIVE BY MAULANA RIFAI A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia MARCH 2010 ABSTRACT Since the political reform took place in 1998 which was marked by the downfall of Suharto’s regime, it has constantly changed the nature of electoral rules which brought new trends in Indonesian electoral politics. One striking feature of these trends is an increasing number of celebrities from the entertainment industry who run for public offices. This study attempts to analyze the voters’ perceptions of the celebrity candidates in the 1999, 2004 and 2009 Indonesia’s legislative elections. It examines the voters’ attitude to party affiliation of the celebrity, personality of the celebrity, and leadership style. Starting in 1999 there were 2 celebrities, then it increased to 24 in 2004 and more than doubled in 2009 with 61 celebrity candidates competed in the electoral contests. In those elections, three different electoral systems were used that influenced the behaviour of party elites, candidates, and the voters as well. This study employs the qualitative approach which relies on descriptive, analytical and interpretive using descriptive statistics analysis. The data were collected through questionnaires from 300 randomly selected respondents from the capital city, Jakarta. The result of the study is that the celebrity candidates failed to attract more votes as the outcome of the 2009 elections showed that more than two-third of the celebrity candidates were defeated by conventional politicians. This indicates that their fame did not ensure electability, as political success requires qualities like political experience and competency. More importantly, Indonesian voters have behaved rationally. They preferred professionalism over cheap populism in making their choices. ii ﻣﻠﺨّﺺ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ أدى ﺣﺪوث اﻹﺻﻼح اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻲ ﻓﻲ إﻧﺪوﻧﻴﺴﻴﺎ ﻋﺎم 1998م إﻟﻰ ﺳﻘﻮط ﻧﻈﺎم ﺳﻮهﺎرﺗﻮ (Suharto)، وﺗﻐﻴﻴﺮ اﻟﻨﻈﺎم اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﻲ ﺣﻴﺚ ﻇﻬﺮت ﺳﻴﺎﺳﺎت اﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﺟﺪﻳﺪة ﻓﻲ اﻟﺒﻼد. وﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻤﺎت اﻟﺒﺎرزة ﻟﻬﺬا اﻟﺘﻐﻴﺮ زﻳﺎدة ﻋﺪد اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺸﺎرآﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻜﺎﺗﺐ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ. ﻳﻬﺪف هﺬا اﻟﺒﺤﺚ إﻟﻰ ﺗﺤﻠﻴﻞ وﺟﻬﺔ ﻧﻈﺮ اﻟﻨﺎﺧﺒﻴﻦ ﺣﻮل ﻣﺸﺎرآﺔ اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻌﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 2009م،2004م،1999م. آﻤﺎ ﻳﻨﺎﻗﺶ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻣﻮﻗﻒ اﻟﻨﺎﺧﺒﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻧﺪﻣﺎج اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺤﺰب، وﺁراءهﻢ وﺷﺨﺼﻴﺎﺗﻬﻢ وﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﻗﻴﺎدﺗﻬﻢ. ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 1999م اﺷﺘﺮك ﻓﻨﺎﻧـﺎن ﻓﻲ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻌﻴﺔ، وﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 2004م زاد اﻟﻌﺪد إﻟﻰ أرﺑﻌﺔ وﻋﺸﺮﻳﻦ ﻓ ﻨ ﺎ ﻧ ﺎً. ﺛﻢ ﺗﺮاآﻢ اﻟﻌﺪد ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 2009م إﻟﻰ واﺣﺪ وﺳﺘﻴﻦ ﻓﻨﺎﻧﺎً. وﻣﻦ ﺛَ ﻢًّ، اﺳﺘﺨﺪﻣﺖ ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﻧﻈﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ هﺬﻩ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت ﻟﻐﺮض ﺗﻐﻴﻴﺮ ﺗﻔﻜﻴﺮ اﻟﻠﺠﻨﺔ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﻴﺔ، وأﻳﺪﻳﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ ﻗﺎدات اﻟﺤﺰب واﻟﻤﺮﺷﺤﻴﻦ، ﻓ ﻀ ﻼً ﻋﻦ اﻟﻨﺎﺧﺒﻴﻦ. ﻳﺴﺘﺨﺪم هﺬا اﻟﺒﺤﺚ اﻟﻤﻨﻬﺞ اﻟﺘﺤﻠﻴﻠﻲ اﻟﻮﺻﻔﻲ اﻟﺬي ﻳﻌﺘﻤﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ أﺳﻠﻮب ﺗﺤﻠﻴﻠﻲ، وﺟﻤﻊ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت وﺗﻔﺴﻴﺮهﺎ. آﻤﺎ ﻳﺴﺘﺨﺪم اﻹﺣﺼﺎءات اﻟﻮﺻﻔﻴﺔ. ﺗﺴﺘﻘﻲ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﻣﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎﺗﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ اﻻﺳﺘﺒﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﻤﻮزﻋﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺛﻼث ﻣﺎﺋﺔ ﻣﺠﻴﺐ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎﺻﻤﺔ إﻧﺪوﻧﻴﺴﻴﺎ (ﺟﺎآﺮﺗﺎ). وﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ، ﻓﺘﺒﻴﻦ ﻓﺸﻞ اﻟﻤﺮﺷﺤﻴﻦ اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ هﺬﻩ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت، ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 2009م ﺣﻴﺚ ﻓﺎز اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﻮن اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﻮن ﺑﺄﻏﻠﺒﻴﺔ اﻷﺻﻮات وﻓﺸﻞ اﻟﻤﺸﺎرآﻮن اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻮن ﺑﺄآﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺜﻠﺚ. هﺬا دﻟﻴﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ أن ﺷﻬﺮﺗﻬﻢ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ ﻻ ﺗﻀﻤﻦ ﻟﻬﻢ اﻟﻨﺠﺎح ﻓﻲ اﻻﻧﺘﺨﺎﺑﺎت. وﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻌﺮوف أن ﻧﺠﺎح أي ﺳﻴﺎﺳﻲ ﻳﺤﺘﺎج إﻟﻰ ﺻﻔﺎت ﻋﺪة، ﻣﺜﻞ اﻟﺘﺠﺮﺑﺔ اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ واﻟﻜﻔﺎءة اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻴﺔ. واﻷهﻢ ﻣﻦ ذﻟﻚ، ﻟﻘﺪ ﺗﺼﺮف اﻟﻨﺎﺧﺒﻮن اﻹﻧﺪوﻧﺴﻴﻮن ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻋﻘﻼﻧﻲ وﻓﻀﻠﻮا (اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﻴﻦ اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﻴﻦ) ﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻌﺒﻴﺔ (اﻟﻔﻨﺎﻧﻴﻦ) ﻓﻲ ﺗﺮﺷﻴﺤﻬﻢ. iii APPROVAL PAGE I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science). ................................................ Md. Moniruzzaman Supervisor I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science). ................................................ Danial Mohd. Yusof Examiner This dissertation was submitted to the Department of Political Science and is accepted as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science). ................................................. Wahabuddin Ra’ees Head, Department of Political Science This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science). ................................................. Badri Najib Zubir Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences iv DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Maulana Rifai Signature…………………………. Date….…………………….. v INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH Copyright © 2010 by Maulana Rifai. All rights reserved. CELEBRITIES IN INDONESIAN POLITICS: A VOTERS’ PERSPECTIVE No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below. 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. Affirmed by Maulana Rifai ……………………………. …………………. Signature Date vi I dedicate this thesis to my dearest family: Almarhum Ayahanda H. Karsita, Ibunda Hj. Diah Sa’diah, Aa H. Thoyyib Sulaeman and Teteh Hj. Siska Sa’diah For the utmost love, care, trust, support and understanding vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah (S.W.T.) for the strength, patience and endurance bestowed upon me to complete the thesis. Peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S), his family and his companions. I am very grateful to many individuals for the valuable help I have received, without which the completion of this thesis would not have been accomplished. First and foremost, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman, his critical comments had shaped the analysis of the whole thesis. I am also indebted much gratitude to Prof. Dr. Abdul Rashid Moten, for his precious comments on this thesis proposal. I would like to extent my appreciation to the Head Department of Political Science, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wahabuddin Ra’ees, for his excellent guidance and assistance, and also lecturers in the Department of Political Science, Prof. Dr. Elfatih A. Abdel Salam, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Hussain, Assoc. Prof Dr. Garoot S. Eissa, Dr. Tunku Mohar, and Dr. Danial Mohd. Yusof. Their courses had broadened my horizons to face with this challenging world. I am also deeply indebted to my statistics experts, Bang Inal, Kang Abduh, and Bang Kamil, for helping me out in dealing with SPSS. Sheikh Abdul Wasiu’, the translator of my Arabic abstract. Many thanks to my dear friends, Rofi, Wawan, Kang Usep, Syahrir, Ardi, Alex, Dewi, Ina, Liza, Futri, Bhea, Idris, Walid, Faris, Atqa, Aji, Mr. Ali Muhammad, Mas Wahib, Mr. Arif, Mr. Nurkholish, and Cak Misbah, for the good, the hard and bad times we shared during the writing period and the following stages ahead which were pretty exhausting. Lastly, I owe my sincere gratitude to all those who assisted me, either directly or indirectly, whom I could not mention all of them, during the courses of my study at IIUM. Jazakumullah Khairan Katsiran. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .......................................................................................................................... ii Arabic Abstract ............................................................................................................. iii Approval Page ............................................................................................................... iv Declaration Page ............................................................................................................ v Copyright Page ........................................................................................................... ...vi Dedication ............................................................................................................. …...vii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... viii Table of Contents .................................................................................................. ……ix List of Tables ........................................................................................................ ……xi CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH PROBLEM, THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................