CIDISS – The peaceful campaign declaration is a positive effort as a form of early socialization and prevention carried out by the general election organizers at the time of the campaign stage. In addition, this is also an effort to increase community participation through sound political education. Through this political education it is hoped that the community will be able to recognize the figure of the regional head candidates well, reduce apathy and fraud.
The submission of all forms of information must of course also reach remote villages, so that understanding regarding public choice can be distributed evenly. That way, the community is no longer an object, but as the subject who will participate in conducting oversight during the stages of the holding of the general election and reporting all forms of alleged violations that occur in the field to the election supervisors. Things that are monitored are certainly not only money politics and the politicization of SARA, but also related to the involvement of the State Civil Service in the campaign.
Similarly, the installation of campaign props that are not in accordance with what has been set, including donations and expenditure of campaign funds. This should not escape the supervision of the community. Involvement of government, community and youth organizations, media, educational institutions, religious institutions need to be strengthened to ensure that the campaign stages run according to the rules of law.
This needs to be emphasized so that the community is no longer fooled by the lure of false promises from the election candidates because public awareness of the need for community participation and being a smart voter will automatically be formed. The candidates no longer have a loophole to commit violations at the campaign stage and certainly will compete in a healthy manner. As quoted in one of Robert Dahl’s words that the condition of democracy is the right of political leaders to compete in a healthy manner in seizing support and votes, and the existence of free and fair elections. With the active participation of all parties, the peaceful campaign can be easily realized.
By: Mirwan Achmad *)
