By: Haikal Fathan Akbar )*
The community encourages religious mass organizations to realize peaceful elections. Figures in CSOs are very influential and can set an example to the people, so they maintain peace in elections. Elections must be successful, therefore CSOs and other parties work together to make it happen.
General elections (elections) will be held in 2024 but must be prepared from now so that later it will go well. All parties play a major role in creating peaceful elections and collaborating to create peaceful elections. Peace must be maintained so that elections take place smoothly without any riots.
Religious mass organizations are also obliged to realize peaceful elections. They are organizations that have a lot of mass, and must be used for positive purposes, one of which is by fully supporting the implementation of the 2024 Election. The heads of religious organizations are aware that as good citizens, they must realize peaceful elections so that this program will be a great success.
Deputy Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia Zainut Tauhid Saadi asked religious organizations in Indonesia to take part in maintaining the unity and integrity of Indonesia in this political year. According to him, religious organizations play an important role in keeping Indonesia peaceful.
Zainut Tauhid continued, in connection with the entry of the Political Year, he invited all leaders of Islamic organizations, scholars and religious leaders to make the five-year agenda (Pemilu) a success. This is done by educating the public to exercise their right to vote freely, democratically and responsibly.
It is hoped that the leaders of Islamic organizations, clerics and religious leaders will be able to invite the community to maintain the values of brotherhood, harmony and unity. Brotherhood is forever, while elections are only a five-year agenda. Therefore, it is hoped that all parties can become brothers, and no longer live in compartmentalized ways.
The Deputy Minister of Religion also hopes that mass organizations will be able to prevent politics of pitting one against the other, money politics, and the politicization of religion. Religious mass organizations are also expected to be able to pioneer polite, ethical and noble politics. Thus, the democratic party in Indonesia runs peacefully, safely, and produces national leaders who are qualified, have integrity and love their people.
Elections require the attention of all parties. Ormas are obliged to urge the public to continue to maintain peace, especially ahead of the campaign period. With the influence of religious mass organization figures, the people will obey and they will no longer attack each other, especially on social media.
The role of religious mass organizations is very large because it will affect society. With the example of CSOs, everyone is optimistic that the 2024 elections will take place without violence.
In addition to maintaining peace, society must be enthusiastic and participatory in the 2024 election. Don’t be apathetic or abstain (white group) or not exercise their rights in choosing presidential and legislative candidates.
When there are religious mass organizations, the administrators also set an example by exercising their right to vote. They also campaigned on social media, not only supporting their idol presidential candidate, but also setting an example that every good citizen must vote during elections. In this way, the level of abstentions in society will decrease.
If you look in the mirror from the 2014 and 2019 elections, hostilities took place in cyberspace and the situation was so hot that there were bad nicknames from each of the presidential candidate supporting camps at that time. Don’t let this happen again, therefore religious mass organizations are here to reconcile society. Elections must be fair (honest and fair) and uphold peace in Indonesia.
Hostilities must be abolished because they can be used by provocateurs and individuals who want to take advantage of adversity. Do not let there be social chaos because of their actions. Therefore, religious mass organizations play a major role in creating peaceful elections, so that there are no riots that lead to brawls and can result in casualties.
Religious organizations should set a good example in realizing peaceful elections. They not only campaigned for the success of the election, but also avoided spreading hoaxes, propaganda and utterances of hatred.
Don’t let religious mass organizations act the other way around and become the main actors in black campaigns or discredit a particular presidential candidate or party. The leader of a religious mass organization should be aware that he is being scrutinized by many people, so that his every action will be imitated. He is obliged to maintain conduciveness and fight for peaceful elections.
In order to make the 2024 election successful, the commitment of various parties is needed because the KPU cannot work alone. It needs support from religious organizations, the community, ministries and security forces so that the elections run smoothly and peacefully. If the election goes smoothly, it will be profitable because there is no fraudulent drama or even a heartbreaking tragedy that accompanies the 2024 election procession.
The campaign period for the 2024 election really needs to be the concern of all parties because it raises the potential for friction due to differences in the choice of presidential candidates and political parties. However, friction should not have occurred because religious mass organizations have kept the elections peaceful, without hostility in the real world or in cyberspace. Ormas leaders set an example to always behave and not utter hate speech, which can increase friction during elections.
)* The author is a contributor to the Vimedia Pratama Institute Contributor