By : Davina G *)
2024 is a year where there are two national agendas, namely the General Election and Simultaneous Regional Election. In this year, society must also build maturity in democracy in order to build a quality political year, both in terms of process and results. Potential vulnerabilities in regional elections must also be seen as challenges and lessons that must be overcome and evaluated together. The role of religious figures is considered very strategic in maintaining peaceful stability, in this case it will be increasingly important ahead of the 2024 regional elections.
The rapid flow of information, especially through social media, makes it very vulnerable to widespread friction and even division due to unfounded information or hoaxes. Everyone is vying for attention via social media and narratives are often found that disrupt national harmony. To prevent this, it is important to build a sense of togetherness and tolerance between religious communities. Religious figures must become strategic partners for election organizers to call for political harmony so that they can provide a good social environment to realize safe and peaceful regional elections.
Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) Kab. Belitung, Prov. The Bangka Belitung Islands reject the existence of sara politics in the 2024 regional elections because it could divide the sense of national unity and unity in the midst of an increasingly heated political situation. The chairman of the Belitung FKUB, Harmizi, said that his party and other FKUB members support a peaceful 2024 Pilkada process without any racial politics. His party has also held a dialogue on religious harmony ahead of the 2024 regional elections with the theme “Creating a Tolerant, Peaceful, Safe and Moderate Community” by presenting a number of religious and youth figures.
Chairman of the Belitung FKUB, Harmizi said that the aim of holding this religious dialogue was to strengthen religious harmony among the Belitung people. According to him, activities like this must be carried out regularly to maintain harmony between religious communities which has been well established so far. Furthermore, Harmizi explained that this dialogue activity was part of the efforts of Religious Leaders to maintain the security and peace situation in the region ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections.
In this dialogue, a declaration was carried out stating the attitude of religious communities in supporting the smooth running of the 2024 regional elections, namely first, together to maintain and maintain harmony between religious communities based on a sense of tolerance, mutual respect and appreciation. Second, guarantee the security of religious figures and maintain the sanctity and function of places of worship as places of worship without politicizing places of worship for practical political purposes. Third, jointly reject the use of places of worship as places for regional election campaign activities and mass gatherings to support certain candidate pairs. Fourth, jointly support the peaceful regional election process and reject the politicization of SARA.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the South Kalimantan FKUB, Ilham Masykuri Hamdie, stated his commitment to playing an active role in overseeing the regional election process in South Kalimantan, namely by strengthening the role of clergy in providing education to the people. With the active involvement of religious figures such as the MUI, FKUB, and the Inter-Ethnic Family Association (Ikasba), religious harmonization in the regional elections can be maintained so as to reduce potential insecurity.
Ilham Masykuri Hamdie said that the active role that had been carried out by the South Kalimantan FKUB included providing education regarding the importance of leadership in elections, inviting people not to abstain from voting, spreading positive information about the Pilkada, inviting the public not to be provoked, and reporting all forms of election violations to Bawaslu. .
On the other hand, the Regent of Sukoharjo, Etik Suryani invited community leaders and religious leaders to maintain conduciveness in Kota Makmur considering that the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections will soon be held. Etik Suryani said that the 2024 Regional Elections are a means of realizing community sovereignty as well as realizing a democratic government based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. At every democratic party, every member of society is obliged to act as a subject who helps oversee the Pilkada process so that it can run according to the election principles, namely direct, public, free, secret, honest, fair (Luberjurdil), and quality.
Meanwhile, the administrator of the Darusy Islamic Boarding School, Syahadah, said that his party was ready to participate in maintaining peace and order during the Pilkada process in order to create a conducive and harmonious atmosphere. It is hoped that this firm commitment can prevent radicalism and intolerance and become an example for society in general that with good cooperation and dialogue, security and order ahead of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections can be maintained optimally. The spirit of togetherness between all elements of society is a reflection that the 2024 Pilkada can take place coolly, peacefully and safely.
Issues of security and peace are a shared responsibility, not just the responsibility of a number of parties. Therefore, there is a need for cooperation and synergy from all parties in order to create a safe and conducive situation ahead of the 2024 regional elections. Religious leaders are also expected to be able to build a sense of peace in order to strengthen ties of brotherhood between religious communities, as well as foster a sense of mutual cooperation to support the government’s efforts in successful implementation of the 2024 regional elections.
)* The author is an Activist at the Batavia Young Literacy Forum