By Iman Sugema, INDEF senior economist
In Indonesia, we are familiar with the expression “pagi tempe, sore dele”. It is an allusion to those – in this case public figures – who are considered wishy-washy. Their words can change drastically in a matter of days, even hours. This expression suddenly feels very relevant when we witness the dynamics of power that occur in the United States (US) today, in the second era of Donald Trump as US President.
In the midst of the world’s excitement for democracy, Trump presents something unique and worrying: a style of government that I call Oncoms, short for one country, one man show.
This concept describes how a large country can be run like a one-man show, where the leader is the main star, scriptwriter, and director. Democracy, in this scheme, is no longer a healthy participatory system, but rather the personal stage of a charismatic figure who cares more about image and loyalty than transparency and accountability.
Trump’s return to the White House in 2025 brings with it an old style that is now packaged in a bolder way. Economic and foreign policy decisions are announced impulsively, often via his personal social media. Most recently, he imposed massive import tariffs, which immediately rattled global markets. However, within days, the decision was reversed. Not through an official press conference or a statement from the Ministry of Trade, but through a social media post that read, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!”. DJT”.
The market was in turmoil. Shares surged. Soon, it was revealed that some of Trump’s close allies had bought big tech stocks the day before. The public smelled an unpleasant odor, like oncom that had been kept too long in the kitchen of power. A number of figures called for an investigation into alleged insider trading. But, like many of the ethical issues surrounding Trump, they seemed to simply evaporate – digested by a system increasingly accustomed to normalized insanity.
What we are witnessing is not just an eccentric exercise of power, but a fermenting political system. Just like oncoms, a Sundanese specialty made from the dregs or leftovers of foodstuffs that are fermented so that they can be consumed again, Oncoms are the product of the remnants of a democracy that has long been neglected: ethics abandoned, institutions weakened, and a legal culture trumped by self-interest.
Trump is not the only politician in the world who has made himself the center of the political universe. But he has turned the world’s largest democracy into a personal branding event, with loyalists cheering him on every time he makes a move. Not for the substance, but for the drama. Today he talks about economic nationalism, tomorrow he scraps it in favor of raising the stock index. Morning Trump, afternoon Oncoms.
What makes this all the more ironic is how the public largely seems no longer surprised. Some are used to it, some choose to turn a blind eye, and the rest can only laugh bitterly. Herein lies the danger: when aberrant power is seen as entertainment, and ethical violations are seen as political ingenuity.
From Indonesia, we cannot be mere spectators. We have long experience with politics that is too centered on one figure. We know how the voice of the people can be dragged in dangerous directions when criticism is considered treason and surveillance systems are considered interference. Therefore, we actually have the capacity to read this pattern early, and call it honestly: this is no longer a healthy democracy, this is Oncoms.
Food like oncoms can be very delicious if cooked well. But, if left to go stale, it can become poison. So is democracy. If it continues to be a one-man stage, without oversight, without balance, then it is no longer a people’s system, but a sarcasm of history.
In a world that is said to be increasingly intelligent and transparent, it could be that the biggest challenge to democracy does not come from weapons or coups. But from one person, one social media account, and one stage of power that continues to be filled with applause – even though it smells bad.
What makes all this more ironic is how public
notes: This article is the result of a collaboration between Iman Sugema and ChatGPT generative AI technology. The main idea, structure, and point of view were conceived by the author, with AI assistance for narrative exploration and stylistic editing.
