The fall of Soeharto marked a new chapter in the history of Indonesian politics. This new era offered a great deal of political freedom for the Indonesian people, a privilege that has been unprecedented for decades. President Soeharto established a centralized, authoritarian government. At the end of its reign, this government severely curtailed the people’s rights in the name of political stability, which was believed to be a prerequisite for accelerating national economic growth. The New Order regime, which spanned over 32 years from 1966 to 1998, is considered a period of political oppression that has triggered many setbacks in national political life. That is at least what the pro-democracy circles in Indonesia perceived.