Avoid politics by using the issue of SARA and the community is expected to play an active role in maintaining a democratic climate in Indonesia, the holding of a democratic party for the 2024 Election should not trigger divisions that damage the order and unity that the founding fathers of the nation have been fighting for for the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Indonesia is a country that adheres to a democratic government system, therefore, it is very important to involve the community in the entire political process, in which the form of community involvement is by holding general elections (Pemilu).
Elections are a means for the public to participate in determining the figure and direction of state or regional leadership in a certain period. When democracy gets widespread attention from the world community, the holding of democratic elections becomes an important requirement in the formation of a country’s leadership. Elections have the main function of producing leadership that is truly close to the will of the people. Therefore, elections are a means of legitimizing power.
Elections can be said to be aspirational and democratic if they meet several requirements. First, elections must be competitive, in the sense that election participants must be free and autonomous. Second, elections are held regularly, in the sense that elections must be held regularly with clear time intervals. Third, elections must be inclusive, meaning that all community groups must have equal opportunities to participate in elections. Not a single group was treated discriminatively in the election process. Fourth, voters must be given the freedom to consider and discuss alternative choices in a free atmosphere, not under pressure, and access to extensive information. Fifth, election organizers who are impartial and independent.
Including what is one of the important things that can continue to be pursued regarding the holding of elections is to continue to maintain peace and try to avoid divisions. Regarding this, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Mosques Council (DMI), Jusuf Kalla appealed to all Indonesian people not to use mosques as platforms for political campaigns, especially during the holy month of Ramadan as it is today.
Precisely according to him, the mosque itself should be used as a place of worship, activities of dhikr and prayer together. In addition, the mosque can also function as a means to spread Islamic religious symbols and unite people. So firmly, according to the former Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, if there are politicians who want to invite them to do politics at the mosque, then it is clear that the mosque is not the place.
How could it not be, because for him, if there are politicians who actually invite political activities but at the mosque, he is worried that this could cause divisions among the people from one another. Several such things include attempts to insinuate or vilify each other either between individuals or other groups in the political context.
Don’t let mosques be made as places to divide people from each other, but mosques should really be used to keep calling out invitations to participate in elections or outreach to support a peaceful democracy.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Palembang Grand Mosque Foundation, H Abdul Rozak, revealed that in general there is absolutely no prohibition if a politician happens to have the ability to give lectures or become an imam in a mosque. However, it is expressly stated that each of these politicians is not allowed to use the pulpit to invite people to politics.
He admitted that his party was very strict in continuing to supervise matters related to platforms or political campaigns which were prone to triggering divisions over the harmony that had been fostered by the founding fathers of the nation for a long time.
On another occasion, the Chairperson of the Volunteer Sedulur Saklawase, Sayoga, said that a peaceful 2024 general election is really needed to produce leaders who are truly on the side of the people. It’s not the leaders or political elites who are looking for chaos.
His party then continued to consolidate and outreach to the community and invite elements of society to be able to inflame enthusiasm to keep the 2024 Election democratic party event peaceful. Even though, for example, there are people who have different political preferences, don’t let this cause a split in unity in the country.
In the same vein, the Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi instructed the local Village Community Empowerment Institute (LPMK) Communication Forum to maintain security and neutralize potential riots in the midst of a political year. He admitted that he did not want divisions among residents just because of political issues.
Divorce is something that is very detrimental to many parties, because the existence of unity and integrity in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia has been fought for by the nation’s founding fathers for a long time. Therefore, the existence of election momentum should not undermine the entire order and stability. Avoid politics that uses the issue of SARA and also the community must continue to play an active role in supervising the progress of democratization in Indonesia properly.
)* The author is an alumnus of FISIP Unair
