By: Darwin Siregar )*
The Indonesian government continues to strive to ensure that the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections can run smoothly and successfully. Ahead of the implementation of the Regional Elections scheduled for November 27, 2024, the government is optimistic that this democratic event will take place as previous successful elections. Various preparations and anticipatory steps have been taken by various parties, both at the central and regional levels, to ensure the smoothness and success of this democratic process.
The General Election Commission (KPU) as the organizer of the Pilkada ensures that almost all stages of the election have been well prepared. The Chairman of the KPU RI, Mochammad Afifuddin, said that the readiness of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada has reached 99 percent. All the logistics needed have been prepared, and the inauguration of the Voting Organizer Group (KPPS) has been carried out simultaneously throughout Indonesia. The implementation of this Pilkada will involve 37 provinces, 415 districts, and 93 cities in Indonesia, with more than 500 regions that will participate in the election.
The KPU’s almost perfect preparation reflects the government’s commitment to presenting a Pilkada that runs fairly, honestly, and transparently. Various facilities, ranging from voting facilities and infrastructure to information technology for vote counting, have been prepared so that there are no technical obstacles that can disrupt the Pilkada process. This shows the government’s readiness to face major challenges that may arise during the Pilkada process.
Not only the KPU is working hard in preparing for the Simultaneous Regional Elections, local governments also play a key role in ensuring the success of the elections at the local level. South Sumatra Province, for example, has shown a strong commitment to maintaining political stability and security ahead of the elections.
Acting Governor of South Sumatra, Elen Setiadi, emphasized the importance of cooperation between local governments, security forces, and election organizers to create a conducive atmosphere. In addition, the South Sumatra Provincial Government is also focusing on preventing the spread of hoaxes and maintaining the neutrality of state civil servants (ASN), which is an important step in maintaining the integrity of the Pilkada.
In North Sumatra Province, similar optimism was also voiced by the Acting Governor, Agus Fatoni. According to him, the implementation of simultaneous regional elections in 33 regencies and cities in North Sumatra is expected to run smoothly, thanks to the successful experience of holding previous General Elections and Legislative Elections. Fatoni explained that the regional government, together with the Forkopimda (Regional Leadership Coordination Forum), has prepared a budget and various other supporting steps to ensure that the regional elections run as expected.
The government’s efforts to maintain security during the Pilkada are not limited to logistical and infrastructure readiness, but also involve broader preventive measures. The central government, through the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kemenkopolkam), has formed a Pilkada Desk which aims to ensure the smooth implementation of the Simultaneous Pilkada.
The Pilkada Desk is led by Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, who has received support from various ministries and state institutions, including the TNI, Polri, and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). Coordination between these institutions is expected to mitigate potential political conflicts that may arise, as well as ensure that the Pilkada runs peacefully.
In this case, the Pilkada Desk is a strategic instrument designed to maintain political and security stability, especially in conflict-prone provinces. The Ministry of Home Affairs and other related institutions have identified several areas with high levels of vulnerability, such as Aceh, Jakarta, West Java, and Papua. Preventive measures, including increased surveillance and security in these areas, are a priority in minimizing potential disruptions.
The government also continues to remind the public about the importance of maintaining peace during the Pilkada. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Budi Gunawan, emphasized that although the challenges in holding simultaneous Pilkada are quite large, cooperation between the community and the government will be the main key to achieving success. Budi appealed to the public not to be provoked by issues that could trigger riots, and to actively participate in maintaining order in their respective environments.
The success of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections is highly dependent on joint efforts between the government, election organizers, security forces, and the community. All parties must work hard to maintain political stability and prevent conflicts that could disrupt the democratic process. As part of these efforts, the government has strengthened coordination with related institutions and prepared mechanisms to address any problems that may arise. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to creating regional elections that not only run smoothly, but are also safe and democratic.
The government is optimistic that the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections will be successful, not only because of thorough preparation, but also because of the commitment of various parties to maintain the integrity and success of this democratic process. As with previous general elections and legislative elections that were successfully held, the government is confident that this regional election will run successfully and provide results that meet the expectations of the community.
With strong support from the central and regional governments, as well as solid synergy between institutions, the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections are expected to be an important milestone in improving the quality of Indonesian democracy.
)* The author is a contributor to Jendela Baca Nusantara
