In political arena every move becomes political, or considered to be political if it's not in line with certain interest of particular segment of political elites. That's exactly what's happening currently in Indonesian both in politicosphere and blogosphere. A contentious debate over the current plan of DPR (Indonesia's MP) to amend the constitution to make a Bachelor degree a prerequisite for a presidential candidate to be eligible for nomination by any political party has sparked a furore. And that's understandable considering the fact that one of the would-be presidential candidate from PDI-P party, former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, has never finished her bachelor degree.
Terkini believes this move as a means to stop Megawati from the next 2009 general election candidacy. [1] M. Alfian Alfian in his long analysis conclude that a Bachelor degree should not be a requirement [2] for a presidential candidate as it will only create another corrupt practices of another kind: the long line of politicians who want to seek the Degree and some “malicious” universities who are more than willing to accomodate the “market demand” through “special channel and special price.” Qui est votre agrees. [3].
One who agrees with the plan argues that if Bachelor degree becomes a precondition to be a head of district, it's natural that the same rule should be applied to a presidential candidate as well.
Laptop and Indonesian MPs (DPR)
Despite less significant, the issue of DPR (Indonesia's MP)'s plan to buy a laptop for each of DPR's member assumes a bigger interests among Indonesian blogosphere. No less than 160-odd postings has been dedicated [4] talking about this issue.
The public debates on this issue focus mainly on the necessity and the price. On price, for example, Government will allocate IDR 21 million (around $2,100) per laptop for 550 DPR member. Almost all bloggers disagree with the laptop-for-DPR and question the wisdom behind this unnecessary move. Just Ngeblog wonders why does the government spend people's money so easily for such a waste? [5]. Rahning, [6] Pande Baik [7], Rihart [8]and many others think likewise.