By: Gani Febriansah )*
Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) are one of the important pillars in the democratic process in Indonesia. In each of its implementations, Pilkada is an opportunity for the community to elect regional leaders who are expected to be able to bring change and progress. However, behind the dynamics of this democracy, there is a serious threat that often arises, namely the use of SARA (Ethnicity, Religion, Race, and Inter-Group) issues in campaigns. SARA issues not only harm political ethics, but also have the potential to divide a diverse society. Therefore, all parties must be vigilant and work together to ensure that the 2024 Pilkada takes place peacefully and with dignity without involving this sensitive issue.
As a country with a very diverse cultural background, Indonesia has a long history of facing challenges related to diversity. Differences in ethnicity, religion, race, and class are an integral part of the nation’s identity. Unfortunately, these differences are often exploited as a tool in political competition. The use of SARA issues in political campaigns not only threatens social stability, but can also trigger horizontal conflict in society. When SARA sentiments are exploited to gain political support, divisions in society can occur, where certain groups feel discriminated against or attacked.
Chairman of the General Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), Rahmat Bagja, emphasized that SARA issues remain one of the main threats in the 2024 Pilkada. SARA issues used in the campaign can endanger national security. Conflicts triggered by this issue not only threaten the Pilkada process itself, but also damage the harmony of society as a whole. In its efforts to minimize the potential for conflict, Bawaslu continues to collaborate with the National Resilience Council (Wantannas) to formulate an effective security strategy to face the 2024 Pilkada.
In addition, SARA issues are increasingly easy to spread in the digital era, especially through social media. The use of social media as a political campaign platform has increased the risk of spreading misinformation, including hoaxes and hate speech based on SARA. People who are not vigilant or do not have adequate digital literacy are easily provoked by narratives that have the potential to divide. SARA issues that develop on social media are often designed to cause division and strengthen polarization in society.
Rahmat Bagja also reminded about the importance of separating the time between the implementation of national elections and regional elections. According to him, the ideal distance between the general election and regional elections allows election organizers to prepare everything more maturely. Stages that are too close can cause political fatigue in society, which ultimately opens up space for SARA issues to be played as a mobilization tool.
On the other hand, the Coordinator of the Legal and Dispute Resolution Division of Bawaslu Southeast Sulawesi, Heri Iskandar, also emphasized the importance of countering SARA issues and hoax news that have the potential to create social instability. Heri invited stakeholders, including the mass media in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, to work together to prevent the spread of incorrect information. According to him, the role of the media is very strategic in ensuring that the public gets accurate and balanced information during the campaign period.
Meanwhile, the Head of Bawaslu Bangkalan, Ahmad Mustain Saleh said that his party has worked together with the Police, and the Communications Office (Diskominfo) in dealing with SARA issues that lead to hate speech. This was done to minimize SARA-based hatred ahead of the Pilkada.
Political campaigns should be an arena for regional head candidates to present their vision, mission, and work programs. Unfortunately, the use of SARA issues has deviated from this goal. Instead of offering appropriate solutions to regional problems, SARA-based campaigns often create hatred, intolerance, and suspicion among different groups. As a result, voters no longer choose based on the capacity and integrity of the candidate, but rather based on emotional sentiments influenced by SARA propaganda.
In an effort to combat the use of SARA issues, the role of the media and society is very important. The media has a great responsibility in ensuring that the information they present to the public is accurate, balanced, and does not contain provocative elements. Meanwhile, the public must also be more critical in receiving information, especially those related to sensitive issues such as SARA.
To face the 2024 Pilkada, all parties need to be aware of the challenges posed by the use of SARA issues. This issue can damage national unity and hinder the democratic process which should be a fair and rational election event. Therefore, it is important to keep the Pilkada peaceful and dignified by avoiding the spread of SARA issues and hoax news. Collaboration between the government, media, society, and law enforcement agencies is needed to ensure that the Pilkada runs smoothly, peacefully, and with integrity. Let’s work together to maintain the integrity of the nation by not allowing differences in identity to be used as a divisive political weapon.
)* Member of the People’s Voter Education Network (JPPR)