By: Gita Oktaviani )*
Ahead of the 2024 General Election, the neutrality of ASN and TNI/Polri needs to be strengthened in order to maintain the spirit of democracy. In this case, the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) has the authority to provide outreach to ASN, TNI and Polri regarding the prohibition on sharing, commenting on and liking uploads from election participants’ social media. If you are found violating it, you must of course be prepared to receive heavy sanctions. The government deserves appreciation for its commitment to being neutral ahead of and after the 2024 election.
Sugihatro as Chair of the Pekalongan City Bawaslu emphasized the importance of efforts to understand neutrality for ASN, TNI and Polri in the implementation of practical politics, especially ahead of the general elections (elections) in 2024. The principle of neutrality of ASN, TNI and Polri must be realized and free from any influence and not take sides with any interests.
Apart from carrying out prevention in the form of outreach, Sugiharto said that ASNs who violate will be subject to sanctions imposed by the State Civil Apparatus Commission (KASN). The sanction is not only a reprimand, but removal from his position. This sanction is of course severe, both in terms of position, economy, and social. So ASN, TNI and Polri must maintain their neutrality, including when interacting on social media.
The neutrality of ASN, TNI and Polri in elections must be a joint commitment to ensure the implementation of democracy that runs fairly, transparently and with quality.
On a different occasion, Acting Mayor of Ambon Bodewin Wattimena said that one of the government’s tasks in facilitating the 2024 regional elections and regional elections is to maintain the neutrality of ASN. To ensure that ASN within the City Government is impartial, does not take sides and is not involved in any activities of a practical political nature.
His party has asked ASN to be neutral, that’s why his party is collaborating with all elements of election organizers such as Bawaslu and TNI/Polri to hold a meeting with all ASN within the City Government, to convey the responsibilities that ASN must bear, namely being neutral in the 2024 election.
This is certainly a concrete manifestation of government support for holding elections. Meanwhile, Wakapolresta Ambon and Lease Islands AKBP Heri Budianto said that his party was ready to support the implementation of clean and safe elections. His party will also appeal to the public and ASN to jointly maintain public order before or ahead of the election.
The National Police of the Republic of Indonesia (Polri) has stated the same thing, they emphasized that all police personnel must have a neutral attitude in overseeing the 2024 elections. Inspector General of Police Dedi Prasetyo as Public Relations of the National Police said that there are already regulations or rules governing personnel neutrality. National Police.
He mentioned that one of the rules governing the neutrality of Polri personnel was contained in Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning Polri, in article 28 paragraph (1) which reads that Polri is neutral in political life and does not involve itself in practical political activities. Paragraph (2) reads, Polri members do not exercise their right to vote and be elected.
The Polri’s neutral attitude is also regulated in Polri Regulation (Perpol) Number 7 of 2022 which is a composition of two National Police Chief regulations (Perkap), namely Perkap Number 14 of 2011 concerning the Police Professional Code of Ethics and Perkap Number 19 of 2012 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of the Commission. Police Code of Ethics.
In Perpol Number 7 of 2022 contained in article 4 concerning citizenship ethics letter h states that every official in citizenship ethics is obliged to be neutral in political life. Polri personnel are also prohibited from taking group photos with the prospective head or deputy head or legislative candidate pairs. With this regulation in place, any member of the National Police who is suspected of doing things that show non-neutrality in the election will be subject to strict sanctions ranging from disciplinary punishment to a code of ethics.
On the other hand, National Police Chief Gen. Pol Listyo Sigit Prabowo ordered his staff to be able to become a cooling system by conducting outreach and conveying national messages and caring for diversity by involving religious and community leaders and youth, so that from the start this activity became a cooling system to prevent divisions . during the campaign.
Meanwhile, the TNI Commander, Admiral TNI Yudo Margono, firmly said that all TNI soldiers must be neutral in the 2024 elections, so that the implementation of election elections can run safely and smoothly. One manifestation of the neutrality of the National Police is the absence of posters or billboards containing campaigns by the presidential and legislative candidates. If posters or billboards containing the presidential or legislative candidates campaign are found within the TNI, his party will not hesitate to remove the campaign props.
The neutrality of the TNI/Polri and ASN is a fixed price for the realization of a healthy election or democratic party. This neutrality shows that ASN, TNI/Polri and ASN are able to work professionally without being involved in political practices in Indonesia.
)*Contributor to Reading Window Institute
