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Nothing sheepish about Indonesian voters
This country is often tagged by outsiders as an “evolving” or “developing” democracy. Those labels are flawed.
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Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and running mate Sandiaga Uno pose after registering their candidacy with the General Elections Commission (KPU). (kompas.com/Maulana Mahadhika)
Instead of shouting shepherds and barking dogs, the smarter Australian abattoirs use ovine instincts to lead lambs to slaughter.
Trained wethers (castrated rams) or goats, move among the innocents, gain their trust and then lead their placid pals on a journey from paddock to plate.
Known as Judas, the betrayers get rewarded with handfuls of extra food and wear collars to ensure they don’t get their throats slit along with their followers.
Some in the commentariat, often from the West, think this country has a flock mentality, suggesting there are irrefutables regarding next year’s presidential election. These include claiming voters will trot behind whichever religious leader claims to know how to run a modern nation because they’ve spent their lives studying holy texts.
