By: Putri Dewi Nathania)*
As the 2024 Pilkada approaches, we all have a great responsibility to maintain the integrity of the democratic process. One of the biggest challenges faced in every election is the spread of fake news or hoaxes, which are often used to manipulate public opinion and disrupt the course of honest and fair elections.
It is important for us as a society to work together to fight hoaxes through socialization and the dissemination of accurate information. This is an effort that cannot be postponed or considered trivial, because the quality of our democracy is at stake.
The Communication and Informatics Service (Diskominfo) of Penajam Paser Utara (PPU) Regency has taken a step forward in making the 2024 Pilkada a success by collaborating with the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu).
Herlambang, Secretary of PPU Communication and Information Office, stated that they continue to update the latest news and information from KPU and Bawaslu. This action is taken to ensure that the public is not consumed by false information.
In other words, the public is not left to ‘swim’ in a sea of confusing information without a clear grip. This effort is part of a larger strategy to combat the spread of fake news, which often colors elections in Indonesia.
In addition to delivering official information, PPU Communication and Information Office also has a strong commitment to combating hoaxes. Herlambang emphasized that they will handle hoaxes according to established procedures.
This shows that the local government is not only focused on spreading positive information, but is also serious about dealing with the negative impacts caused by fake news. Hoaxes are not just false information, but can be a tool to divide society, undermine public trust in the democratic process, and trigger social instability.
By following the existing procedures, Diskominfo hopes that the public can regain trust in the information they receive. This trust is very important, especially when approaching crucial times in the Pilkada. The public must be sure that every piece of information they receive is based on facts, not rumors or hearsay of unclear origin.
One of the best ways to combat hoaxes is to increase public participation through ongoing socialization. PPU Communication and Information Service not only acts as a disseminator of information, but also as a driver of public participation in the Pilkada.
They hope that the public will not only be passive as recipients of information, but also actively participate wisely. This wise participation can be realized in the form of participation in elections, as well as sensitivity to the information received and disseminated.
Not only the PPU Communication and Information Office, the Central Kalimantan Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) also took proactive steps in anticipating the spread of hoaxes ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. They held special socialization related to cyber and mass media supervision.
This step was taken to deal with the rise of fake news and politicization of SARA issues that are often used as tools to divide society. Bawaslu realizes that hoaxes are not only about false news, but also about how false information can damage social order, especially in the context of elections.
The socialization held by Bawaslu Kalteng aims to increase public understanding of the importance of supervision in elections. They emphasized that effective supervision can ensure that the Pilkada runs well, fairly, and transparently.
In other words, this supervision is not only the task of a particular institution, but the responsibility of all of us as a society that cares about democracy.
Siti Wahidah, Acting Head of Bawaslu Central Kalimantan, appealed to the public not to be easily influenced by hoax news. She emphasized that we must be smart and critical voters in sorting information. This message is important, because in the end, the quality of the Pilkada depends greatly on the extent to which the public is able to reject false information and only accept true news.
No less important, Bawaslu Kepulauan Seribu also collaborated with the local government in anticipating the vulnerabilities of the 2024 DKI Jakarta Pilkada. This collaboration was carried out through a coordination meeting involving various related parties to ensure that campaign supervision runs smoothly.
The Head of Bawaslu for Seribu Islands Regency, Rahadi Pramono, emphasized that support from the local government is very important for the success of the Pilkada.
Coordinative steps like this are a form of anticipation so that various potential vulnerabilities that may occur during the Pilkada can be prevented early. Campaign vulnerabilities, such as the spread of hoaxes and politicization of issues, are the main concerns that must be addressed.
With intense communication between Bawaslu and local governments, potential problems can be minimized, so that the regional elections can run more safely and peacefully.
Fighting hoaxes is not only about upholding the truth, but also about maintaining the quality of democracy itself. Healthy democracy can only be realized if the information circulating in society is valid and reliable.
Let us together be part of the solution by spreading correct information and fighting hoaxes at every opportunity. The quality of the 2024 Pilkada is in all our hands. With the right information and active participation of the community, we can ensure that the Pilkada takes place peacefully, fairly, and transparently.
)* The author is a contributor to the Perkasa Media Institute