T

he recent arrest of Tubagus Chaeri Wardana, the younger brother of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, along with disgraced Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar following allegations of widespread election rigging, has fueled a heated debate on political dynasties. Tubagus'€™ arrest has exposed how Atut'€™s family ferociously seized the reins over Banten, both politically and economically.

At least five regencies and municipalities in the province are under the family'€™s control. Atut'€™s husband, her brother, her sister-in-law, her daughter-in-law, her stepsister, her stepbrother and her eldest son all hold key political posts in the province.

I have to shake my head in utter amazement at how the family has succeeded in wrapping their long, creepy tentacles across the region. Furthermore, a sensational rumor has it that the family employs a gang of jawara (person skilled in martial arts) and black magic to protect itself.

When I heard this, I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck! If I lived in the province, I should be extra careful not to mess with the family.

My relatives, who live in Serang, confirmed that the jawara play a key role in Banten, occupying influential positions and acting as intermediaries between the people of Banten and political institutions.

It is not surprising, then, to learn that Ratu Atut is the daughter of the late, revered Banten jawara, H. Chasan Sochib, who played a central role in supporting Atut and her running mate, Djoko Munandar, in their quest to lead Banten in 2002.

Atut'€™s rise to power marked the onset of the Chasan family'€™s increasing domination of local politics in Banten. His power enabled him to build massive political networks and gave him strong financial muscle to support a run for political office, appointing many members of his family to strategic political positions, both at legislative and executive levels.

The essence of political dynasties is to treat your political bailiwicks as your family domain and pass leadership and authority over these places in sequential order from one generation to another. This brings benefits to a certain family, making it hard for others to establish a fair contest.

The key question, then, is: Are political dynasties good or bad? Well, in my personal opinion, political dynasties are neither good nor bad, per se.

They can be good to the extent that they serve the will and interests of the people. As holders of public office, they should avoid conflicts of interest when they exercise official power or duties. In short, they should prove their worth as public officials and arrange their private affairs in such a way that prevents their becoming entangled in a conflict of interest.

If such a code of conduct is well-maintained, then political dynasties can be a positive thing. Many have been cast in a positive light, such as the Kennedys and Clintons in the US; and the Gandhi family in India. In fact, their presence is cherished and glorified. Perhaps, this is due to the fact that they elegantly avoid the Achilles'€™ heel and contest elections through a transparent and fair system. However,, political dynasties can also be a bad thing if they transform democracy into a fascist state, acting as if they are the sole authority and are always above the law without moral ethics. I think most Filipinos and Syrians have had enough of these.

Unfortunately, most of our homegrown political dynasties have become corrupt and collusive along the way, filling their political empires with the country'€™s wealth and most precious resources.

Former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, '€œThe liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism; ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power.'€

Yuni Herlina
Depok-West Java