T

he Democratic Party, under the shadow of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s charisma, which has charmed Indonesians for two terms, is now at a crossroads.

The current scandal with its former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin acting as a whistle-blower seems to have determined not only which direction the party will go, but also on which characters the party will be built.

Now that the party executives are regrouping in Sentul, West Java, we will soon know whether the party has done its homework — such as cleaning dirty dishes, washing muddy clothes, repairing the leaking roof, repainting the walls and throwing out the garbage — or if it has left these jobs undone to be forgotten about by the people and the media.

For the party’s leaders, there are many options available. It is absolutely up to them whether they are decent politicians or mere opportunists.

Not only are good politicians committed to the image of the party, they also have shown responsibility to control the damage caused by the mayhem.

On the other hand, there are those who want to just wash their hands and find loopholes to escape. When the party is on the rise they were happy to join.

The party’s declining image did not bother them. In fact, it is common for politicians to jump from one political party to another.

The way in which SBY and the Democratic Party won the hearts and minds of Indonesians was indeed phenomenal. Indonesians now will witness the survival and longevity of the ruling party.

Golkar’s ability to adapt to a new political environment is indeed worthy of reflection. Unlike in the aftermath of the 1965 upheaval in which old players under Sukarno’s patron no longer had any control over the political stage, old players in the reform period, chiefly Golkar politicians, remained visible on the stage.

In fact, a significant number of voters remained loyal to Golkar, which used to serve as Soeharto’s political vehicle. Soeharto’s name could be damaged at least for a while.

However, politicians who were under him have many ways to escape. To disguise their misconduct during the New Order regime, political leaders gave the Golkar Party a new brand in the pro-reform movement.

Only time will tell whether the Democratic Party follows in Golkar’s footsteps, or if it has its own way to show its mettle.

Indonesians are indeed forgiving. Sukarno’s dictatorship during the Old Order period has been written off. His figure has been restored and has emerged as an icon of several political parties to attract voters.

By the same token, it seems Soeharto’s sins have been washed away by political pragmatism. Indeed, Soeharto’s achievements in economic stability can be sold in the political market. The Golkar Party is not alone. The Justice Party (PKS) also took this political advantage.

Many scandals and corruption cases have been easily forgotten. What about the Bank Century bailout? Who killed Munir? Who were the real culprits in the “crocodile versus gecko” saga?

It is not out of line to expect that the boiling news about the current scandal involving key figures in the Democratic Party will be gone as quickly as the other corruption cases. The accusations made against Anas Urbaningrum — a secret weapon unleashed by Nazaruddin from his hideout — will also be rinsed with his calmness and smiles on TV.

True, the Democratic Party promised changes and reform, by which it defeated the old players in Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

However, promises in politics are just promises, as long as they sound wonderful to the ears of voters.

SBY’s party has been the most successful among all new parties to emerge during the reform era. Its success is owed to its open platform. The party is not affiliated to a certain religious sentiment. In fact, parties with such a sentiment have never won the majority of votes in any of Indonesia’s elections.

In terms of regeneration, the PKS and the Democratic Party are the most promising parties. Like it or not, the PKS applies a healthy mechanism by which its leadership is dynamic. It’s top leaders are changed from time to time.

As for the Democratic Party, Anas Urbaningrum is currently the youngest top executive. Golkar and PDI-P have both failed to follow in a similar direction. The leadership of other parties, from Gerindra to PPP (the United Development Party), PKB (the National Awakening Party), and PAN (the National Mandate Party), have not been as dynamic as we expected.

Now, the Democratic Party is at the crossroads, and we are wondering which way the party will turn.

The writer is a lecturer at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Yogyakarta.