By: Amilia Anita Gusman*)
The democratic process often faces various challenges, ranging from the practice of money politics to the spread of hoaxes that undermine the integrity of elections. Therefore, honest, fair, and transparent local elections are a necessity for every element of society, including the government, security forces, and all election organizers. President Jokowi’s administration, through the relevant agencies, continues to strive to ensure that the regional elections are conducted honestly, fairly, and safely from disturbances.
The Chief of Police of NTB, Inspector General Pol Umar Faroq, emphasized the importance of synergy among institutions in realizing a fair and honest regional election during the Coordinating Meeting on the Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Gakkumdu) for the 2024 NTB Regional Election. This statement from the Chief of Police aligns with the commitment that has been consistently echoed by various parties, including the Election Supervisory Board, the National Police, and the Prosecutor’s Office, to uphold the integrity of the regional elections so that they proceed smoothly and with full honesty.
One of the major challenges faced by the regional elections today is the post-truth phenomenon, where lies are often regarded as truth. In the digital age like today, information can spread rapidly without adequate verification. Black campaigns, hoaxes, and identity politics pose a real threat that can influence voters, especially those who are less critical in assessing information. The NTB Police Chief, Inspector General Umar Faroq, reminded the importance of providing the public with a correct understanding so that they are not easily influenced by lies spread by irresponsible parties.
Security apparatus, mass media, and society play an important role in ensuring that the information received by the public is accurate and accountable. The media must be independent and objective, while the public needs to be more discerning in filtering information. Black campaigns, such as the spread of slander and issues related to ethnicity, religion, and race, can undermine democracy and trigger conflict. Therefore, all parties must avoid black campaigns and focus on healthy and constructive campaigns.
The neutrality of security forces and civil servants (ASN) is also a crucial issue in every regional election. The Chief of Police of NTB firmly stated that every member of the National Police must adhere to the principle of neutrality, without getting involved in practical politics. It is important to maintain public trust in the police institution as an independent and impartial law enforcement agency.
Similarly, civil servants have the obligation to remain neutral and not favor any candidate or political party. The neutrality of civil servants will ensure that the governance process continues to run smoothly without any political interference that could harm one party. The local and central government needs to pay serious attention to the potential violations of ASN neutrality by ensuring that any form of violation can be strictly addressed in accordance with the applicable regulations.
The NTB Bawaslu, through the statement of Bawaslu member Umar Achmad Seth, has also committed to taking strict action against any violations that occur during the regional election process, especially those related to money politics and the neutrality of state civil servants, in order to ensure that the regional elections proceed in accordance with the principles of honest and fair democracy.
The potential security threats, such as narcopolitics and the flow of illicit funds from success teams, have become one of the issues highlighted by the NTB Police Chief. Therefore, strong synergy between security forces and all elements of society is necessary to prevent and effectively address these potential threats.
Community participation is very important in maintaining security during the regional elections. The community can become active partners with the authorities by reporting potential violations or security threats. They should also avoid provocative actions that could trigger conflicts among supporters. Community oversight also needs to be enhanced through independent monitoring bodies such as NGOs, which can observe the voting process and report any fraud to ensure a fair and honest local election process.
On the other hand, security forces also need to take a proactive stance in maintaining security during the campaign period, voting, and post-election. The placement of personnel at strategic points, such as polling stations and campaign locations, is one of the steps that can be taken to anticipate potential security disturbances. In addition, routine patrols and monitoring of groups that may pose a threat should also be conducted intensively.
The success of the regional elections does not rely solely on one institution, but rather is the result of good cooperation among various related agencies. The synergy between the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu), the National Police (Polri), and the Prosecutor’s Office through the Gakkumdu Center is one example of how inter-institutional cooperation can strengthen oversight and law enforcement during regional elections.
President Joko Widodo has consistently emphasized his support for the implementation of Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) as one of the important pillars in strengthening democracy in Indonesia. On various occasions, Jokowi has emphasized the importance of conducting democratic, transparent, and safe regional elections for the smooth functioning of local government. He highlights that local elections allow the people to choose the most deserving leader to advance their region.
Honest, fair, and democratic local elections are the hope of all parties involved. However, to realize this, solid cooperation is needed between the government, security forces, election organizers, and the public. Big challenges such as money politics, black campaigns, and hoaxes must be faced with full responsibility by all elements. With a shared commitment, we can realize clean, integrity-filled regional elections that reflect the will of the people.
*) The author is a Political Observer at the Viva Justitia Institute.