By: Silvia AP )*
The phenomenon of the white group (golput) is often seen as a form of protest against the political system that is considered not to provide real results for the welfare of the people. However, the golput attitude can actually have a negative impact on the democratic process and weaken the Pilkada with integrity. There are several strategies that can be done to reduce the number of golput and ensure that the community actively participates in the Pilkada, one of which is by increasing political education. In other words, to realize the Pilkada with integrity, it is important for every citizen who has the right to vote to use their rights wisely and responsibly.
Pilkada with integrity demands active participation from all elements of society. Participation in elections is not only a right, but also a moral obligation of every citizen who cares about the future of their region. Every vote cast in the Pilkada has great potential to influence the final result, which in turn will determine who will lead the region and how public policies in the region will be formed.
Participation in the Pilkada is very important, because through the Pilkada the community can directly elect leaders they trust to bring positive change to their regions. By voting, the community has the opportunity to ensure that the elected leader is someone who has integrity, competence, and commitment to building the region fairly and transparently.
However, if people choose to abstain, they indirectly hand over the important decision to a handful of people who still participate. This is certainly contrary to the spirit of democracy, where every individual has the same rights and opportunities to determine the future of their region. Furthermore, the abstention phenomenon can lead to the election of incompetent leaders, who may not represent the aspirations of the majority of the community.
One important indicator of an election with integrity is the existence of a strong monitoring mechanism. Both by authorized government institutions, such as the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), as well as by civil society and the media. With effective monitoring, all forms of fraud, from money politics, intimidation, to vote manipulation, can be prevented or at least minimized.
The Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Regional Government also ensures that every stage of the election runs smoothly, by providing the necessary resources. The Regional Government also ensures that the neutrality of ASN and government apparatus is strictly maintained ahead of this election. DIY Regional Secretary, Beny Suharsono said that there are three main pillars that must be the foundation of the 2024 Pilkada, namely recognition and protection of Human Rights, fair competition between election participants, and public trust in the election results. Peaceful and democratic elections should be the responsibility of all sectors.
In line with this, the Head of Bawaslu DIY, Drs. Mohammad Najib, M.Si, said that in order for DIY to be the best province in implementing regional elections, it needs support from candidates, political parties, and the community. In addition, the Coordinator of the P2H Division of Bawaslu of the Republic of Indonesia, Lolli Suherty, S.Sos.I, MH, said that a friendly, polite, open and tolerant attitude can be the first step towards a peaceful election. Lolly hopes that the attitude of tolerance for culture can be implemented in differences in political views as well.
In the context of society, Pilkada with integrity also demands higher political awareness from voters. The public must dare to reject all forms of money politics or unreasonable promises from candidates. Money politics, although considered an easy way for some candidates to win the hearts of voters, actually damages the democratic order and erodes public trust in the election process itself.
There are several strategies that can be done to reduce the number of abstainers and ensure that the public actively participates in the Pilkada. First, political education needs to be improved. Many people abstain because they feel they do not have enough information about the competing candidates or because they do not understand the election process itself. Through political education programs organized by the government and by civil society organizations, the public can be given a better understanding of the importance of their participation in the Pilkada.
Second, voting accessibility must be considered. Some people, especially those living in remote areas, may have difficulty getting to the polling station. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the voting process is accessible to all citizens, for example by providing polling stations that are easily accessible or providing the option of voting through other more practical methods.
Third, the role of mass media in socializing the Pilkada and the candidates is also very important. The media can play a role in providing objective and balanced information about the regional head candidates, so that the public has a clear picture of who they deserve to vote for. In addition, the media can also be a means to remind the public of the importance of using their right to vote and the negative impacts of abstaining from voting.
In addition, young people can also play a role as independent supervisors in the Pilkada process. They can join election monitoring groups or form small communities that function to monitor the Pilkada process in their respective environments. Thus, they can help ensure that the Pilkada process runs honestly and fairly.
)* The author is the editorial team of the Student Press Institute (LPM) Ideas
