Hello
How are you all?
The freedom of expression is the meaning of DEMOCRACY. Every country that adopts a presidential system of government will uphold democracy to advance the prosperity and peace of a nation. From its origins, democracy is the result of positive thinking and has been regulated in a country's constitution. It is a mandate to be implemented and serves as a basic guideline for a country.
However, not all countries can implement democracy properly and openly. What often happens is that the oppression of the common people eliminates the principles of democracy due to oppressive and greedy leaders and a government that does not prioritize the interests of its people. As is the case in my country, where democracy is merely a symbol of power. The people are not free to express their inspiration and are strictly prohibited from criticizing the government. They have created special settings so that the people are not allowed to advance and are not allowed to rebel.
Massive corruption exists within the government, yet there is no apparent harsh punishment, and corruptors still roam free. Crime is rife, and if the perpetrators are officials or the wealthy, they are easily acquitted without significant punishment. However, if crimes are committed by ordinary people, they will be subjected to the harshest penalties. Truly, in my country, justice no longer exists, as the legal term "justice" only points downward. They have eliminated one point of Pancasila, the fifth principle, social justice for all Indonesians.
The people are fed up with everything: they are silenced, not allowed to speak, taxes are raised, prices are rising, and people are suffering more and more. Yet, in contrast, the government has increased allowances for members of the House of Representatives (DPR), including salaries, housing allowances, and even travel allowances abroad. They welcomed this with great joy and rejoicing in the DPR building. Worse still, they also danced in the hall, bringing sadness and tears to the hearts of the common people.
Recently, students held large-scale demonstrations that caused unrest in several regions across Indonesia. In their speeches, students demanded justice regarding democracy, honest governance, and the immediate punishment of corruptors. They also demanded the dismissal of several members of the House of Representatives deemed incapable of carrying out their duties. They also demanded the cancellation of all allowances for the House of Representatives, among other points.
During the demonstration, unavoidable chaos between police and protesters resulted in a heartbreaking incident: a police officer ran over an online motorcycle taxi driver delivering a delivery. This tragic incident resulted in death. Protesters' anger peaked. They demanded the prosecution of the police involved and the removal of the National Police Chief, who they deemed incapable of carrying out his duties. Worse still, the protesters vandalized and burned public facilities and damaged several houses of members of the House of Representatives, whom they considered to have instigated the conflict. They also looted the contents of their homes, including luxury goods, furniture, and clothing, and even vandalized luxury cars as a form of protest.
Indonesia is currently in a difficult situation. As of Monday, September 1, 2025, demonstrations were still taking place in several regions across Indonesia, including Aceh Province. They were demanding true democratic justice, an honest, just government, and free from corruption. Although the demonstrations were peaceful and secure, tensions were felt by all parties, including the surrounding community.
Hopefully, with incidents like this, the government will be wiser and improve itself in the future, so that democracy can be realized, leading this country towards a progressive, just, honest Indonesia that prioritizes the interests of the people, and is free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
