By : Janu Farid Kesar )*
The 2024 election will become a political contest in which 60% of the votes will come from young people. It is hoped that today’s youth must be actively involved in giving their voice to determine the fate of the nation. Political awareness must be raised among young people, especially those with the status of first voters, this awareness is important to prevent unhealthy campaigns.
There are many ways to influence young people to cheer up the 2024 elections. In this digital era, campaigns don’t just put up billboards or distribute t-shirts, but can also be done through social media where the majority of users are millennials and first-time voters.
Young people should take an active part in the upcoming national leadership selection. It is no longer the time for young people to just be objects but also have to contribute in enlivening the spirit of a peaceful and fair election campaign.
One of the movements to support the creation of quality elections is to hold public discussions such as those held by the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Law (FH) of Sahid University and the Community of the Nation’s Children (ABAS) to hold a discussion Testing Reform with the theme “Have Political Parties Become Space Inclusive for Leadership Regeneration”.
Geandra Kartasasmita as Chairman of Anak Bangsa said, “This is the time for young people as owners of 60% of the votes in the next general election to take part. Get involved and want to move forward together by offering ideas for a better Indonesia than today. The community also invites the younger generation to be actively involved in the upcoming democratic party. Geandra considers that the involvement of young people is very important for the realization of a better Indonesia.
He said that ABAS would move to invite young people to be politically literate. ABAS also seeks to campaign for fair and peaceful elections. ABAS hopes that the country can be neutral in the 2024 elections and allow candidates to contest fairly. Geandra added that ABAS will continue to campaign for political awareness among young people, especially first voters, so that many do not abstain because this is prone to opening up opportunities for election fraud.
Meanwhile, ABAS movement initiator Gusti Arief welcomed the progress made by Geandra and the structure as a whole. Moreover, the ABAS collaboration seems to have received a good reception from the ranks of Sahid University. The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Sahid University, gave direction to ABAS to become agents of change capable of making new breakthroughs.
The Dean of FH Usahid said that organizations for young people who want to talk about and think about this nation must be multiplied and supported. He hopes that the ABAS Movement will be instilled as a vocation. The movement must also be carried out based on cooperation for the common good.
On a different occasion, KPU member Mochammad Afifudin conveyed the importance of the younger generation to be encouraged to participate, because after all, young people are the real stakeholders. Therefore, the younger generation is also expected to be more selective in all news in order to filter out hoaxes.
Afifudin also said that the KPU also needs energy from young people to maintain tolerance for political competition and provide objective values, good criticism of the holding of elections. This is of course in line with the main vision that has been socialized by the KPU, namely elections as a means of nation integration, not to divide the nation.
It should be noted that there are 4 major problems surrounding the holding of elections, namely money politics, the politicization of SARA, identity politics and hoaxes. This problem must be taken seriously so that the election can run smoothly. Even though the election itself is a stage that is familiar to some Indonesian people. It remains only later on how the implementation of this democratic party can be realized peacefully, not only on the election organizers and participants.
The 2024 election is a topic that is closely related to the future and progress of the nation. So that the younger generation must also take up their role for the sake of electing leaders who will bring the Indonesian nation to the next 5 years. The positive energy from the millennial generation can certainly be utilized to be able to collaborate with interested parties in holding the 2024 elections.
In addition, young people must also understand that oversight of elections is not only the duty of the government, KPU and Bawaslu, but also the whole community, including young people, who also have a role in overseeing the course of the campaign towards the 2024 elections. Critical young people will not want to pawn their conscience. his heart to support the representatives of the people and the desired leader.
Of course, young people with all their energy and creativity need to be supported if they are to be actively involved in the success of the 2024 Presidential Election. Young people also have a strong influence in inviting their friends to participate in a national event called the General Election.
)* The author is a contributor to Nusantara Reading Room
