abstract

Civil Disobedience: A Case Study of the Implementation of Government

Regulation No. 84 of 1999 on the Redistricting of Agam Regency and the
City of Bukittinggi in West Sumatera, Indonesia

Following the end of the New Order government of President Soeharto in

1998, Indonesia entered a period known as the Reform Era that has been
characterized by greatly increased political participation (Agus and Leo;
2012).is the rights of individuals to criticize the government is now guaranteed
by law. In some cases, this has been understood as the right to protest and
disobey policies, laws and regulations which it was forbidden to do in the past.
This case study will address one such instance that occurred in the West
Sumatran regency of Agam when a 1999 law required the redrawing of
boundaries between the region and the city of Bukittinggi. At the present time,
it has still not been possible to implement the required redistricting because
the public believes this move would interfere with the traditional nagari system
of government that long predates the modern system (Haluan, 2000;
Singgalang , 1999, 2000; Mimbar Minang, 1999; Semangat, 1999;Padek,
2001). In this, the conflict between the public and the government can be seen
as an expression of conflict between the traditional conceptualization of
governance (the nagari which has specific dimensions and criteria in the
Minangkabau culture) and the modern national context.

The Civil Disobedience that has become the norm since the end of the
New Ordercan be seen as an expression of dissatisfaction with policies, laws,
and regulations issued by government. Protests of this type may derive from
the principle values; or ideals of utilitarianism, idealism, the humanities and
morality which are espoused by members of the collective public (Hall, 1971,
Fortas, 1968, Rocha, 2002). Similar phenomenon have been observed in North
and South America, Asia and Europe and include movements such as Green
Peace, the antinuclear groups, and global warming networks.

The study will take the form of a case study of the protest motives and
forms in disobeying the government regulation No.84 year 1999 by members of
the public in Agam particularly in IV Angkek subdistrict. And How the State
respond their disobeying. It will describe the nature of the protest and
elucidate the causes and rationale based on the specific context of West
Sumatra and the traditional culture of the Minangkabau people who live there.
Its results will provide insight into the impacts of political and social change as
the needs of the modern national increasingly impinge upon traditional
prerogatives. Its findings will contribute to our understanding of modern
governance issues and may serve to encourage the formation and
implementation of more effective policy or law in Indonesia in the future.