CIDISS – Campaign is a manifestation of community political education carried out with full responsibility, based on the principles of honesty, openness and dialogue. This is in accordance with those stated in the General Election Commission Regulation Number 4 of 2017 Article 4 (four). Indeed, the campaign process is able to provide intelligent political education to the public to increase voter participation. But unfortunately, a number of facts show that the campaign is always used as an arena for unhealthy contestation. The political contestation that occurred at the previous democratic party was always tinged with findings of various kinds of violations including black campaigns, the politicization of SARA, the neutrality of the state civil apparatus, and money politics.
The general election participants often use all means to achieve victory. This certainly hurts the nature of Indonesia as a democratic country based on direct, general, free, confidential, honest and fair principles. In fact, this principle should be a strong foothold in building a democratic system and providing facilities to the people as the highest power holders who have the right to vote in a conducive atmosphere through a healthy and peaceful campaign. Money politics Law Number 10 Year 2016 Article 71 paragraph 1 has clearly stated that candidates and / or campaign teams are prohibited from promising and / or providing money or other material to influence the election organizers and / or voters.
If money politics is carried out, based on the decision of the General Election Supervisory Board, the perpetrators can be subjected to administrative sanctions as candidates and based on court decisions that already have the law still subject to criminal sanctions in accordance with statutory provisions. However, this rule is often violated by candidates to influence and lead choices and public opinion in choosing certain candidates.
If we set back at the stage of nomination, the public will be enlivened by reporting on the issue of “political dowry” that has occurred in several regions. This is what we must be aware of because if from the beginning the selection process for candidates will use money politics, then of course at the campaign stage and voting and counting do not rule out the possibility of trying to gain power in dirty ways.
By: Mirwan Achmad *)
