By: Stefanus Putra Imanuel )*
The 2024 Regional Elections will soon be held, and this momentum is not only a test for political participants, but also for the wider community. Amidst the hustle and bustle of preparation, community leaders have emerged as the vanguards who play a vital role in ensuring that the Regional Elections are safe, orderly, and peaceful.
In Yogyakarta, various socio-religious organizations and institutions join hands through discussion forums to uphold mature democracy. They believe that community involvement, especially community leaders, is one of the keys to maintaining city stability during the Regional Election process. With this spirit, Yogyakarta is determined to be a role model for other regions in practicing the values of a just democracy.
Expert Staff for Government and Public Welfare of the City of Yogyakarta, Wirawan Hario Yudo, emphasized that democracy is not only about voting, but also a collective effort to create harmonious social conditions.
For Wirawan, the democratic party must bring positive benefits and be a means of proving that the Indonesian nation is able to manage differences of opinion peacefully. Given Indonesia’s long history in managing safe elections, Wirawan hopes that Yogyakarta can be an example of how a city can hold a regional election with prominent calm and peace.
During the regional election process, the campaign stage is the main focus in maintaining integrity. This was expressed by Jantan Putra Bangsa, Coordinator of the Dispute Violation Handling and Supervision Division of the Yogyakarta City Bawaslu, who said that the community needs to play an active role in overseeing the campaign process.
At this stage, potential violations such as the use of places of worship as campaign locations to misuse of public facilities can occur. Therefore, community involvement in supervising and reporting violations is an important step in order to implement an honest and fair campaign.
Especially in Yogyakarta, regulations related to campaign locations are in the spotlight. Places of worship, government-owned buildings, and other public facilities are prohibited from being used for political activities.
This prohibition is intended to maintain neutrality and prevent the exploitation of public facilities for personal or group interests. However, without public awareness to supervise, this rule will be difficult to fully enforce.
In addition to the campaign, another issue that is no less important is the practice of money politics. Although Law No. 6 of 2020 concerning regional head elections has regulated sanctions for anyone who tries to influence people’s choices with money or materials, its implementation still encounters obstacles.
Jantan explained that technical obstacles and lack of evidence often hinder Bawaslu from taking action against these violations. This raises the need for public participation to report any indication of money politics practices, so that the election process can take place more cleanly.
Money politics violations not only harm democracy, but also erode public trust in the political system. Without strong evidence, such as witnesses or clear evidence, Bawaslu often does not have sufficient basis to take action.
This opens up opportunities for the public to actively participate in rejecting fraudulent practices. By being critical and reporting indications of violations, the public can become effective guardians of democracy.
Strict action will be taken if violations are found, which is proof of the government’s commitment to maintaining the neutrality of the election. Through synergy between government officials and community leaders, it is hoped that the 2024 Pilkada can take place safely without incidents that disrupt peace.
The 2024 Pilkada is not only about who will win the election, but also about how the community manages this democratic process with full awareness and maturity. The community in the cities of Yogyakarta and Pontianak have shown good intentions to be part of this process, placing themselves as the vanguard supporting justice and order.
From monitoring campaigns, reporting money politics practices, to maintaining the neutrality of places of worship, this participation proves that democracy does not only belong to the political elite, but to all elements of the nation.
The collective awareness of the community in responding to the 2024 Pilkada can be an inspiration for other regions. Active participation and involvement in every stage of the Pilkada shows that Indonesia has a generation that understands the importance of peace in politics.
If this awareness continues to be built, the 2024 Pilkada will not only be successful in electing new leaders, but will also be proof that this nation has reached maturity in democracy. Let’s work together
