By: Tyas Permata Wiyana )*
Hoax news and utterances are still a potential threat that could occur ahead of the 2024 Election. Of course steps are needed to be aware of this, solely so that the election can run in a credible manner.
Hoaxes and hate speech are the main thorny issues at the moment of the political year. Hoaxes are used to lead heretical opinions and utterances of hatred are used to bring down political opponents. Of course this cannot be allowed because both of them can damage the spirit of democracy in Indonesia.
Ahead of the 2024 elections, the government of West Kalimantan together with the local KPU and BAWASLU have taken various steps to prevent hoax information which is certain to be circulating in the community. This effort is carried out by cooperating with various parties, including the media and journalist organizations in the province.
Chairman of the West Kalimantan General Election Commission (KPU), Ramdan, called on the media to prevent hoax information from unofficial media in order to reduce the spread of news that does not match the facts in the upcoming 2024 elections. KPU Kalbar also continues to coordinate with the media and associations related to the media to prevent invalid news from unofficial media.
Ramdan said the media could play an important role in disseminating news so that people in West Kalimantan could participate as a whole in the general election process. The role of the media is also very important in conveying information throughout West Kalimantan, with the aim that the public is aware and willing to help and take part in legitimate elections.
Then in the interests of holding applied elections, of course there are campaign advertisements in the media, and this is one of the conditions that must be registered or registered with the press council. This needs to be realized because the news media must be verified by the press council.
KPU West Kalimantan is also aware of the importance of the media, so it also needs input or suggestions from various associations that protect the media. Ramdan hopes that his party will get support from the media, and can be involved in providing education to the people in West Kalimantan in the recruitment process towards February 14, 2024.
The Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) also carried out the same thing, which also collaborated with AMSI, AJI and IJTI in preventing the spread of hoaxes. In carrying out its function as an election supervisory agency, the West Kalimantan Bawaslu cooperates with the Indonesian Cyber Media Association (AMSI) to prevent hoax news from circulating in the political year.
Ruhermansyah as Chairperson of the West Kalimantan Bawaslu said that his party hoped to sign a memorandum of understanding with three press associations, namely AMSI, AJI and IJTI. Hopefully, friends from the regency and city Bawaslu can follow up on the collaboration with these organizations. With this, participatory supervision in the face of holding elections will become one of the prevention efforts.
He explained that the scope of the memorandum of understanding includes technical guidance on coverage and publication within the West Kalimantan Province Bawaslu and the delivery of initial information on alleged violations. Then carry out coverage and publication on election supervision and mobilize supervision efforts through media publications that meet good journalistic standards.
The Chairperson of AMSI for the West Kalimantan Region, Kundori, welcomed this collaborative effort. His party welcomed the West Kalimantan Bawaslu program which collaborated with media organizations and journalists in order to oversee the 2024 Election process. Because to contain hoaxes and hate speech, collaboration is needed.
Especially with today’s massive social media being a way to spread various kinds of information, whether it’s true or false. Of course the spread of hoaxes or fake news can lead to divisions among citizens in Indonesia.
On different occasions, the Indonesian National Police (POLRI) have taken various measures to anticipate the spread of fake news related to the 2024 ELECTION. Moreover, in 2022, the National Police have received 113 reports related to this case, the number is almost four times more than the reports in 2021, namely 33 case. Data on the Robinopsnal Bareskrim Polri e-MP show that there has been an increase in the number of prosecutions, reporters and reported parties from 2021 to 2022. This shows that the number of prosecutions for hoax news is ahead of the 2024 Election.
The public, of course, needs to understand that social media users are always being watched by the police and the government. When spreading hoaxes, the police and the government will identify whether the upload has the potential to break unity and integrity. Referring to Law No. 19 of 2016 concerning amendments to Law No. 11 of 2008 concerning information and Electronic Transactions regulates the matter of prosecution of cases of spreading fake news.
The public needs to be aware of news that has the potential to threaten unity and news that invites hate towards certain groups, so as to avoid the desire to spread this information, moreover those who spread false information face a maximum prison sentence of six years and/or a maximum fine of IDR 1 billion.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute
