Bawaslu Optimally Conducts Thorough Pilkada Preparations, Maps Potentially Vulnerable Areas
By: Gita Oktaviani
The General Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) has been very optimal in carrying out all kinds of thorough preparations to welcome the implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Elections (Pilkada), one of the strategic steps is to map areas that are potentially vulnerable.
In order to welcome the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections, Bawaslu plays a key role in ensuring that the implementation of the regional level democratic party can run honestly, fairly and peacefully.
Realizing the challenges ahead, Bawaslu itself has carried out various forms of thorough preparation in organizing the Regional Head Elections in various regions.
One of the strategic steps taken by the Election Supervisory Body is to map areas with potential risks. This is a very proactive step to anticipate various potential conflicts or problems that can disrupt the smooth running of the Pilkada.
For example, Bawaslu is mapping vulnerable polling stations (TPS) in the 2024 Pilkada, as a step to anticipate disruptions or obstacles, especially during voting day and vote counting.
Bawaslu member, Totok Hariyono said that the mapping of vulnerable TPS became material for his staff, including other election organizers, namely the General Election Commission (KPU), then the Pilkada participants, the government to security personnel, observers, the media and all elements of society to mitigate so that voting runs smoothly without any disruptions that can hinder the Regional Head Election from running democratically.
Bawaslu continues to implement prevention strategies, such as conducting surveillance patrols in vulnerable TPS areas, then establishing coordination and consolidation with stakeholders or other related stakeholders, as well as socialization and political education to the wider community.
Not stopping there, the Election Supervisory Body also collaborated with Pilkada observers and participatory supervisors, to providing public complaint posts at every level that residents can easily access.
The mapping conducted by Bawaslu on areas that are vulnerable to Pilkada disruptions, shows that there are at least 5 provinces that are categorized as highly vulnerable. According to the Head of Prevention, Community Participation and Public Relations of Bawaslu, Lolly Suhenty, the five regions are NTT, East Kalimantan, East Java, South Sulawesi to Central Sulawesi.
East Nusa Tenggara is in first place because out of 27 assessment indicators, 19 of them occurred there. Then East Kalimantan with 18 indicators, East Java 17 indicators, South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi with 16 indicators each.
Bawaslu’s mapping of potentially vulnerable areas is not without reason. Indonesia, with its ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity, often faces social problems that can spill over into the political realm, especially during elections.
Some areas may have a long history of political or social conflict, while others may be vulnerable to SARA (Ethnicity, Religion, Race, and Inter-Group) issues. By mapping potentially vulnerable areas, Bawaslu can design more effective and targeted monitoring and prevention strategies.
Not only mapping, but Bawaslu has identified several strategic steps in order to prepare for the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. The first step is to collect historical data and trends from previous regional elections.
This data includes reports of violations, voter participation rates, and campaign patterns used by election participants. With comprehensive data, Bawaslu can predict potential vulnerabilities and take anticipatory steps.
Thanks to the good coordination and collaboration, the Chief of the Regional Police (Kapolda) of West Kalimantan Province (Kalbar), Inspector General of Police (Irjen Pol) Pipit Rismanto stated that all security preparations must run very well.
It is very important that there is cooperation between various parties in ensuring the smooth implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. In order to secure this regional level democratic party, not only the security forces are working, but also with various other stakeholders, including Gakkumdu, Bawaslu and other related agencies.
All stakeholders or stakeholders involved help ensure that the Regional Head Election can run smoothly and safely. So as to minimize the potential for conflict and disturbances to public security and order (kamtibmas).
How optimal the very mature preparation of Bawaslu is a real proof of a strong commitment to realize a quality Regional Head Election. The existence of an intensive design, coupled with mapping of potentially vulnerable areas, is a very important initial step in creating a safe and peaceful regional political contestation.
With excellent preparation, it is not impossible that the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections can run smoothly, without any significant obstacles, so that the results can bring acceptance or legitimacy from all parties with full trust.
The Election Supervisory Body, with all its efforts, shows that good supervision does require very thorough preparation and proper strategic planning. Only in that way can democracy be upheld and continue to run according to expectations, thus bringing goodness to all Indonesian people.
*) Institute Reading Room Contributor
