While the continuously updated election results reveal a rather clear picture, there remains one aspect that leaves me very confused: why have so many unsuccessful candidates gone crazy?

Currently, we read in The Jakarta Post every day about our nation's mental hospitals being in high demand - possibly this election has been a drug with severe side effects.

Should we blame the BPOM for not monitoring the safety of this drug sufficiently before releasing it for use on human beings?

Or do we have to look into something like an Asian-type soul and understand that "losing one's face" is a thing that needs follow-up to restore honor (frankly, I doubt that a status of depression applies here)? Or, as we can also read, do simple material issues drive the unelected candidates into insanity? The candidates in question obviously have the fact that they spent a lot of money to get elected and now the "return on investment" will not materialize in common. Actually, if money is the point, even the elected candidates should be depressed.

It seems unlikely that their "official remuneration" will fully pay back their investment. Hence, I have a slightly ugly thought here: were the above-mentioned mental hospital patients expecting to find other sources of income during their period of service?

Be aware that it might not be so beneficial any more to sit on, for example, the Energy Commission, as we have Karen at the helm of Pertamina now! Anyway, thank God the mentally affected candidates were not elected!

Candidates who cannot cope with an election defeat definitely cannot be deemed fit to lead this country. Imagine what would have happened in the House of Representatives, the Regional Legislative Council or the Regional Representative Council if these candidates were to face a voting defeat there. Let's hope that our elected representatives remain in good health during their term, in good times and in bad. Wishing them all the best of luck and the same to all the subjects of their representation.

Eckart Schumacher

BSD City, Banten

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