By: Nancy Rentalita
The 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections will be an important moment in Indonesia’s democratic journey. By involving thousands of candidates competing in various regions, this election is not just about determining regional leaders, but is also a reflection of the quality of democracy in Indonesia. Therefore, maintaining conduciveness during the Pilkada process is a main pillar that must not be ignored.
One concrete example of efforts to maintain this conduciveness can be seen from the Pondok Aren Police initiative which brought together community organizations (Ormas) and related stakeholders to dialogue and work together in maintaining the security and social order situation (security and public order) in their area. Pondok Aren Police Chief, Commissioner Bambang Askar Sodiq, invited the leaders of eight mass organizations in Pondok Aren District to work together to create a safe and peaceful environment ahead of the Pilkada. This kind of dialogue is very important, especially considering the many potential frictions that can arise during the campaign and election period.
The Pondok Aren Police initiative shows how important communication and coordination between various elements of society is in maintaining stability. When mass organizations, security forces and local governments unite, the potential for conflict can be minimized, and the implementation of regional elections can run smoothly. Apart from that, good data collection on members of mass organizations is also a preventive measure against individuals who might take advantage of the Pilkada situation for personal or certain group interests.
Similar steps were also taken by the Acting Mayor of Cirebon, Drs. H. Agus Mulyadi emphasized the importance of careful preparation and conduciveness ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. During the socialization event for the candidacy for Mayor and Deputy Mayor, he reminded that this Regional Election is a big momentum involving a very large number of voters. Therefore, thorough preparation is the key to ensuring that the Pilkada not only runs smoothly, but also with quality.
Regional elections in cities like Cirebon are a barometer for the success of democracy at the regional level. When the election process runs orderly and safely, people’s trust in the democratic system becomes stronger. On the other hand, if chaos or conflict occurs, this could damage the reputation of democracy and reduce public participation in the future. Therefore, efforts to maintain conduciveness are not only the responsibility of the government and security forces, but also all elements of society.