A Conversation with Teten Masduki (Part 1)

This is the first installment of the "Conversations with the ANSA-EAP Executive Committee series", that feature individual Executive Committee members sharing their various advocacies and how these relate to social accountability. In this interview, Teten Masduki shares the early days of his advocacy work—from student activism during the Suharto regime to teaching students, and labor workers.

He sits quietly on a lone chair as our crew of two sets up in the villa-turned-makeshift studio. Hands folded neatly into each other on his lap, he’s the picture of calm and anonymity. Truth be told, had he chosen a different path, it would be hard to pick him among a sea of his fellow Indonesians.

ANSA-EAP Executive Committee member and Transparency International-Indonesia Secretary-General Teten Masduki, however, has long turned his back from a life of quiet and obscurity.

For instance, instead of teaching Chemistry to high school students in Indonesia—as was his original plan—he’s spending this particular Friday morning revving up for an interview on his ongoing and sometimes thankless fight against corruption in Indonesia and East Asia. At 47, Teten has made his good governance advocacy a life-long career and dream. A vision that is, in his experience, fraught with more than its fair share of hurdles. A fight that, for him, transcends national boundaries and can only be triumphant through the cooperation of the government, private and civil society sectors.

Youth and the Social Accountability Challenge

 By Marlon Cornelio

A SCHOOL OF thought says politics and governance are for politicians and technocrats only. Politicians and technocrats are there to do the difficult work of developing and managing the state.

Another school of thought says politicians and technocrats are not the only ones who should govern the state. Instead, citizens have an active role as partners of government.

Social accountability is based on the idea that citizens are essential partners in governance, specifically in ensuring responsiveness, transparency, and accountability in the use of government resources and the fulfillment of government functions.

In the social accountability concept, citizens should determine how public resources are used. There are, however, questions to consider: Up to which level can government documents be opened for public scrutiny? Up to which point can citizens participate in managing public finance?

Among the young, there is a similar debate. One side argues that the main role of young people is to study and leave the affairs of government to adults. Focusing on studies is part of the preparation for adulthood, at which time the young will be ready to take over governance.

The other argument is that studying does not mean the four corners of the classroom only. Participation in the governance process while young is part of how to mold young minds.

But are young people ready to participate meaningfully in governance? Are they interested? Do they have the capacity to engage with government? Is the environment open and conducive for their participation? In other words, can youth handle social accountability?