Explanation delivered by Dr. Masiyah Kholmi, M.M., Ak. in the Doctoral Colloquium of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) attracted the audience in the theater room of UMM Dome on Wednesday (6/8). Masiyah spotlights accountability of Political Parties (Parpol) which was still low. It was natural that political parties’ performances were considered less than optimal.
In her presentation, Masiyah revealed her several findings shown low accountability of political party. Masiyah studied the perception from not only students’ views, but also constituents of political parties. The highlighted aspects were from financial accountability to campaign finance reporting. In conclusion, political parties were poor of accountability.
The scathing criticism to the political party was based on her dissertation research on a local political party leader in Jombang. The study entitled Social Commentary on the Concept of Political Party Accountability using Hermeneutic Approach won praise from her promoters at the Graduate Program of the University of Brawijaya Malang.
"There are six categorization forms of accountability on political party at Pilkada (local election to vote for regent, red.). Three of them are for future elections, and the other three are for post-election," concluded Masiyah. Three categorizations for Pilkada were accountability of the quality of candidates, campaign finance and legality, while categorizations for the post-election were moral accountability, finance and politics.
Spotlighting the phenomenon, Masiyah then offered a new understanding solution to the political party accountability in the context of Pilkada. She believed that frame of task can be a metaphor that gives birth to inspiration in expanding the concept of accountability which has been rooted in the material dimension into moral and spiritual dimension.
"This metaphor is actually derived from the axiom that says basically humans function as khalifatullah fil ardh (God's representative on earth)," explained Masiyah. The metaphor was schemed in the form of triangular relationship between God, man and nature.
Thus, said Masiyah, dimension of human relationship with God is a moral and spiritual accountability. Meanwhile, the relationship dimension between humans is the accountability of the quality of candidates, financial, legality and politics. In addition, humans and nature are represented in the form of ecosystem accountability.
Vice Rector I of the UMM, Prof. Ir. Sujono, M. Kes, said that the colloquium at the UMM is a tradition and culture for the fresh doctoral graduates. It was hoped that their ideas would provide benefits in the areas of academic field and society in general.
The event held for two days presented lecturers who had just achieved their doctoral title with their ideas. Besides Dr. Masiyah Kholmi, M.M., Ak., there were also Dr. Fien Zulfikarijah, M.M., Dr. Idah Zuhroh, M.M., Dr. Rohmat Dwi Jatmiko M.M, and Dr. Widayat, M.M.
Moreover, Masiyah’s paper was discussed by Budi Wiyoto. He stated that accountability is not in an empty space. It is reflected from the quality of a political party as well as political accountability that must be distinguished between the internal and external aspects.
"Party will be weakened if the accountability is ignored since there is unclear political party accountability in Indonesia. In addition, internal accountability is the accountability that leads to responsibility for the performance of political parties members. Meanwhile, external accountability is the responsibility of political parties to the general public," he added.