The latest development of democracy in our country may has reached turning point. With the domination of Demokrat in our parliement, which makes the government is too powerful, we could expect the imbalance of power from the start of this new government.
The latest national drama of KPK, century bank bailout between KPK, police, and our top executives just reached new development: The government just recently banned a book about the corruption scandal.
here is the news from Jakarta Globe:
The Democratic Party has labeled a controversial book about the Bank Century scandal as being merely “entertainment,” likening it to mystical soap operas and celebrity television news programs.
The book, titled “Membongkar Gurita Cikeas: Di Balik Skandal Bank Century” (“Unraveling The Cikeas Octopus: Behind The Bank Century Scandal”), was written by prominent sociologist and anti-Suharto activist George Junus Aditjondro. The book accuses the ruling Democratic Party of using non-profit foundations associated with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to transfer funds to its coffers during the 2009 elections. The book also claims that state funds used to bail out Bank Century were diverted to one of the foundations.
“It looks like entertainment because what George expected was for his book to be exposed and for him to get free promotion to boost its sales,” Anas Urbaningrum, leader of the Democratic Party’s faction in the House of Representatives, told Metro TV on Monday.
Anas said the book was full of sensationalism only and poor analysis. He said George’s data was baseless.
“He used secondary data, it’s so biased,” he added.
Anas encouraged all parties written about in the book to make public clarifications and if necessary, press charges against George Aditjondro “so nobody will mess with truth and other people’s dignity again.”
JG
Snippet news from random Indonesian news sites: the ban of book itself has increased public curiousity, and everyone now looking all over book stores for it. Gramedia Book stores, has decided to drop the title from their shelves, leaving only Gunung Agung (another book chain stores) the only place to find the books. Not surprisingly, the remaining books sold out in a day.
This is not the only books banned this year though, there are about 5 books banned by justice court because they are threatening pancasila and against the UUD 1945. The powerful government has shown the bad example of democracy, the victim now victimizer.
I remembered Demokrat popped out as winner out of our dissatisfication toward the previous ruling party (Golkar, PDIP), in the past, we have experienced long period of suppresion, now we may enter another period of media suppresion. Of course, our freedom of expression is much better than China or the Syariah countries, still… it’s kinda disappointing to see this development.
SBY himself has repeat several times that public shouldn’t believe of lies and forgeries. The book author himself, George Junus Aditjondro, fortunately has not been detained, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he is now listed in the black list.
Perhaps democracy is against the Javanese norms? We know Indonesia’s culture is dominated by Javanese norms. The principal of javanese is to protect “harmony”, democracy should be fair and not antagonizing people unfairly.
The 1998 revolution could change our government in a day, but to change a culture is more than decades, maybe a century.
Looking ( and reading) from far away, I have to say I’m puzzled.
To me it is as if a book like “Unraveling The Cikeas Octopus” might indicate the mature civil society the RI has today. The government, the president, should ( not as private person of course, but as government and president) be happy with investigative journalists and publicists. I congratulate them on the achievements over the last ten years including this ‘investigating sociologist”.
But banning books?
Why on earth would they do that? Because the content isn’t flattering? Because some data are politically awkward?
The book is not fan mail. So what??!! That is what is happening to prominent politicians and statesmen in a democratic system.
Or do they love the author and just want to help him to promote the book?
@colson
that’s what I thought too. SBY has explicitly said that he is concerned of forgeries/lies/false accusation etc, if only he keeps silent, this book might pass out in the crowd as another book about century bank scandal. Because of the ban, the book has been sought over all the book stores, people now start selling the book in the street starting from $3.6 (original price) to $5.
also, here are other five books banned by Justice court for “threatening” UUD 1945 and Pancasila:
Pembunuhan Massal Gerakan 30 September dan Kudeta Soeharto (written by John Roosa, published by Institut Sejarah Sosial Indonesia dan Hasta Mitra)
>Mass Murder of 30 September and Soeharto’s Coup d’etat
Suara Gereja bagi Umat Penderitaan Tetesan Darah dan Cucuran Air Mata Umat Tuhan di Papua Barat Harus Diakhiri (written by Socratez Sofyan Yoman, published by Reza Enterprise)
>Voice of Church: Suffering and Tear of People in West Papua Must be Ended (awkward translation, the title is absurdly long)
Lekra Tak Membakar Buku Suara Senyap Lembar Kebudayaan Harian Rakyat 1950-1965 (written by Rhoma Dwi Aria Yuliantri dan Muhidin M Dahlan, published by Merakesumba Lukamu Sakitku)
>Lekra did not burn Silenced voice book of Harian Rakyat 1950-1965 (I never know this thing actually ever happened…)
Enam Jalan Menuju Tuhan (written by Darmawan, published by Hikayat Dunia)
>Six way to God (new age spirtualism book)? It seems this book accused as proselytizing people because it covered how six religion founder found their “God”. It’s more like comparative theology for me.
Mengungkap Misteri Keragaman Agama (written by Syahruddin Ahmad, published by Yayasan Kajian Alquran Siranindi)
>Revealing Mystery of Religion’s Pluralism (book promoting religion’s pluralism?)
Hmm, I wonder how the government would react if someday a publisher decided to publish Satanic Verses….
Thank you for the informatuion- I read about the banning of five books and kept wondering which ones…
I’m really curious about the content of the first two titles you mentioned.
The good thing about the situation of course is that officials and authorties obviously fear the power of words and books…
Interesting stuff.
One member wrote about it in my forum also….. but suddenly went silent and did not say any more about the controversy.
@colson
I’mn also curious. To be honest, it’s like book promoting religion pluralism. Maybe the government now feel pluralism is against pancasila
@ralf
actually ralf, the pdf has circulated around the internet. it’s only 41 pages of A4 actually!
latest update: book peddlers have started to sell the book from normal price (rp. 36,000 to rp. 90,000). The book still cant be found in the local book stores….