Legal Literacy - The massive wave of protests that has recently erupted is one of the clearest signs that the relationship between the DPR (House of Representatives) and the people is at its lowest point. The public's disgust, which has been building up, has finally exploded, triggered by various statements and attitudes of a number of members of the DPR RI (Republic of Indonesia's House of Representatives) that are considered inappropriate, offensive to common sense, and do not reflect the quality of a people's representative at all. The demonstration was not just an expression of momentary anger, but an accumulation of disappointment with the legislative institution that is increasingly distant from the aspirations of the people. Amidst the heated situation, social media, which has become a lively discussion space, has not escaped attempts at silencing and activities of buzzer. One of the issues that is widely discussed is related to the academic capacity of DPR members. Many citizens believe that the low quality of statements and behavior of the people's representatives cannot be separated from the absence of adequate educational standards. Critical questions are also emerging: how can we entrust the affairs of state policy to people who do not have analytical and critical skills? Isn't it time for a minimum academic standard for prospective members of the DPR?

Education Is No Longer a Privilege

To answer that question, we need to look at today's social context. In the past, higher education was indeed considered a luxury. A bachelor's degree was only held by a handful of elites or those who were lucky. However, the reality is now very different. There are more and more universities and access is becoming more open. In fact, there are now so many S1 (Bachelor's degree) graduates that some of them have to face unemployment problems. This means that a bachelor's degree is no longer a boundary between the elite and the general public, but has become a common standard that citizens should reasonably have. If job vacancies for shop admin positions already require S1 graduates, why aren't people's representatives in the DPR required to have similar standards? Setting S1 as a minimum requirement is not an attempt to marginalize the common people, but rather a step to adapt the representative institution to the times. People's representatives should reflect the people, not only from a social background, but also in intellectual capacity.

DPR and the Challenges of Modern Complexity

Criticism of the DPR is not only about communication style or inappropriate word choices. More than that, criticism is aimed at the DPR's substantive ability to carry out its legislative, supervisory, and budgetary functions. Their job is to formulate laws, oversee the running of the government, and manage the state budget. All three functions clearly require analytical capacity, legal understanding, economic insight, and political diplomacy skills. Without adequate education, how can a member of the DPR read data, understand complex legal texts, or weigh the impact of public policies? This raises the question: is it possible that all this time the vital functions of the DPR have only been carried out by expert staff, not by the council members themselves? The phenomenon of DPR members easily making reckless statements is not just a matter of personal ethics, but a reflection of their weak intellectual capacity. When academic ability is minimal, the quality of representation also falls. Increasingly educated people finally feel unrepresented, even embarrassed by their representatives.

Democracy: Between Political Rights and Quality of Representation

Some parties may argue that adding a minimum education requirement will limit the political rights of citizens, in line with the considerations of the Constitutional Court (MK) which rejected a similar proposal for presidential/vice-presidential candidates. Of course, that argument is entirely correct. Democracy must guarantee that everyone has the right to be elected and to vote. However, democracy should not be interpreted rigidly. Democracy is not just about inclusiveness, but also about quality. What is the point of giving the right to be elected absolutely if in the end the elected representative is unable to carry out his duties properly? The minimum education requirement should not be seen as discrimination, but as a mechanism to maintain the quality of democracy. Just as doctors must pursue medical education or lawyers must master the law, members of the DPR should also be required to have adequate academic qualifications for their complex tasks.

Maintaining the Dignity of Democracy

Encouraging a minimum education requirement for prospective members of the DPR is not a step to close political access for the common people. On the contrary, this is an effort to maintain the dignity of democracy so that parliament is filled by figures who are able to think clearly, analyze data, and formulate real solutions. Without this standard, the DPR is vulnerable to becoming an arena for political transactions, where financial capital outweighs intellectual competence. As a result, parliament is filled by politicians who are good at maneuvering power, but unable to read the problems of the people. This condition is what triggers great disappointment. Every shallow statement from a member of the council makes the public feel that their collective self-esteem is being violated. It is the accumulation of this disappointment that finally sparked the massive demonstrations yesterday—a loud alarm that shows the gap between the increasingly intelligent people and their representatives who are lagging behind. Political rights are indeed fundamental, but the people's right to get quality representation is no less important. It's time for us to dare to raise the standards. Setting a bachelor's degree as a minimum requirement is not a restriction, but a responsibility to ensure that our democracy runs with dignity and is filled by people who are truly capable of carrying out the great mandate of the people.