By: Gema Iva Kirana )*
The 2024 election is only a few months away. Ahead of the campaign period, the public is advised to be wary of money politics. Moreover, currently there is a digital money political model, where money that was previously in an envelope is replaced by a transfer to an account. We must be wary of digital money politics because it can disrupt the implementation of elections.
The 2024 elections are planned to be held on February 14 2024. The public is urged to realize peaceful elections and maintain unity. Apart from that, elections must be carried out on honest and fair principles, because the aim is to find a new Indonesian leader who will bring progress.
Honesty in elections is emphasized because it is the key to its success. However, it is a shame that there is a threat of money politics in the 2024 elections. Money politics is an attempt to influence the choices of voters or election organizers with material or other rewards. From this understanding, money politics is a form of bribery.
Officially, the campaign period will start on November 28 2023. However, the public is advised to be wary of money politics which is starting to spread. Especially in the era of information technology, money politics has changed from previously paying bribes with cash in envelopes, to being replaced by transferring money to digital accounts or wallets.
Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Agency) Pangandaran reminds the public of the dangers of digital money politics. Chairman of Bawaslu Pangandaran Iwan Yudiawan said that money politics violations leading up to the General Election or Pilkada were the most highlighted. Especially currently, the majority of voters based on the national DPT are 50 percent young people. They definitely have digital money.
Iwan Yudiawan continued, the potential for money politics will be dominated by young candidates and young voters, or those who are old but have digital skills. Bawaslu will properly anticipate money politics. This is done by conducting outreach through social media and supervisory members up to the village level.
Iwan also warned young people in Pangandaran that digital money/political money transactions would also be monitored. Even though this is difficult, I will try.
Digital money transactions are a new way of money politics in an era of rapid technological development. However, the element of money politics can be called a violation if all the elements are met. So there is an element of invitation and there is an element of prohibition, for example, don’t vote for a legislative candidate by giving money.
When there is money politics, you have to be careful because it aims to overthrow other legislative candidates so that they lose the election. The person who did this also aimed to thwart the election because it could be that the voters did not vote for any of the legislative candidates so that many white groups abstained.
However, with the digital money political mode, it is somewhat difficult to trace. If bribe money is transferred through a bank account, it can be investigated through that bank. However, if what is given is digital currency (online wallet), it is more difficult because you have to involve IT (information and technology) experts and permission from the owner of the online wallet company.
For this reason, Bawaslu collaborates with PPATK (Financial Transaction and Analysis Reporting Center). Coordinator of the Division (Kordiv) for Handling Violations and Dispute Resolution, Gaga Abdilah Syihab, said that according to what Bawaslu RI had previously conveyed, the national election supervisor had collaborated with PPATK.
Gaga Abdilah continued, digital money politics also occurred in the 2019 elections. PPATK explored the number of campaign money transactions circulating through digital money. Quite a lot of money transactions occurred during the quiet period of the campaign, especially at night.
No matter how small the transaction, if it is indicated to be an invitation to vote, it is considered a violation. The public should not be tempted because money continues to be subject to criminal violations.
Money politics must be prevented because it will destroy the principles of elections, namely honesty and fairness, when there is bribery of prospective voters, they will automatically be dishonest, because they choose legislative and presidential candidates who do not conform to their conscience. Then, there was no justice because the election was marred by fraud and bribery by elements of the legislative candidate’s success team.
The quality of democracy must be better by preventing money politics, either directly or through (digital) transfers. The practice of money politics can occur in closed proportional or open proportional systems.
Giving money to an account or online wallet with certain incentives from members of the legislative candidate’s success team also includes digital money politics. Therefore, don’t let people be tempted because accepting bribes can also be punished.
The public must be aware of digital money politics which is starting to spread ahead of the 2024 election campaign. Don’t let the election be tarnished because of money politics. Giving money either directly or by transfer with the aim of electing certain legislative candidates is money politics. Don’t let people be tempted by money politics because there is a threat of punishment, both for the giver and recipient.
)* The author is a contributor to the Persada Institute
