T

he second round of the simultaneous regional elections coming your way, 18 years after political reform began, is expected to reflect how Indonesia’s democracy is bogged down by the overly dominant role of political parties, flawed legislation, nepotism and corruption.

In the first round of direct local elections this year, the laws left room for the people to field candidates of their choice. However, when voters are in polling booths on Feb. 15 next year they will have to choose candidates prescribed for them by political parties, which tightened the rule via their lawmakers.

Independent nominees are on the verge of extinction and will be found only in a few of the 101 provinces, regencies and cities that will vote for new leaders, including Banten, Gorontalo and Aceh.

In the latest setback to promote accountable and respectable governance, crooks on probation and ex-convicts have been granted the freedom to run for public offices. The incumbent Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie, who is seeking another term, is still currently on probation for defamation.

The ongoing election fanfare has also exposed acute weaknesses in Indonesian political parties: They lack truly qualified cadres. In some regions they field popular figures who are not even their sympathizers.

Vote buying is virtually legalized in the amended law on regional elections. It permits candidates to provide lunches, gifts and accommodation to their supporters during campaigns as long as the favors are not offered in cash. What constitutes vote buying or “money politics” as it is better known, is done in a “massive and structured” fashion — a grey area that does not invite investigation.

Nepotism or “political dynasties”, an old practice in politics, continues unabated in many regions where incumbent administration heads make the most of their fortunes to privilege their relatives and help them obtain strategic political positions.

People hang their hopes on the newly empowered Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), which now has the authority to disqualify candidates who flout the laws. The watchdog’s independence will be tested.