Money politics is one of the threats that needs to be watched out for ahead of the General Election. Apart from fostering the practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism, money politics is believed to be able to harm democracy.
Elections are one of the most important elements for maintaining people’s sovereignty, because they place the people as the main point holding primary sovereignty. Indonesia has held five legislative elections and four presidential elections after reform, starting in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
Elections, including the direct election of regional heads (pilkada/election) by the people, are a means of realizing people’s sovereignty in order to produce a democratic state government based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. The holding of elections and local elections is direct, general, free, Confidentiality, honesty and fairness can be realized if carried out by election organizers who have integrity, professionalism and accountability.
Elections are an integral part of a democratic state, a condition sine qua non because without their presence the state is considered to have abandoned democracy. Samuel P. Huntington also emphasized that a political system can be said to be democratic if the strongest collective decision makers in the system are elected through fair, honest and periodic elections.
Democratic elections are a necessity, for this reason standards or parameters are needed to measure an election. Therefore, there are several standards that must be used as a reference so that elections can truly become a parameter of democracy.
A conducive political and security situation is the key to the successful implementation of the upcoming 2024 Simultaneous Elections and Presidential Elections (Pilpres). This conduciveness must be maintained because there are problems regarding identity politics and money politics which almost always become challenges in every election, so that the hope for the 2024 election can be anticipated. The Republic of Indonesia is a country that implements constitutional democracy where sovereignty is in the hands of the people, but is implemented in accordance with the supremacy of law.
Director General of Politics and General Government of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Dr. Bahtiar appealed to the public to use the election event as a momentum to strengthen national unity and integrity, not to create divisions based on group interests.
Not only that, Dr. Bahtiar also said that Indonesian people must be able to change their mindset , from elections which were initially seen as an arena for political contestation and a struggle for power, to an opportunity to strengthen the sense of unity and unity of the diversity of the Indonesian nation.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD emphasized that the Government will not reduce its vigilance regarding the emergence of campaigns that promote identity politics, especially in mass media and social media. He thinks that identity politics might be able to be dealt with better without having to reduce vigilance and the role of the media in campaigning so that the General Election can be held healthily, with integrity and quality, built together for the 2024 Election.
Mahfud MD called on all components of the Indonesian nation to fight money politics because according to him, the practice of money politics or what is known as “dawn attacks” in political contestation needs to be avoided because it is an election disease that can affect the political democratic system. The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the National Police have mitigated the risk of vulnerability as an effort to prevent violations.
The Election Vulnerability Index (IKP) and the Election Vulnerability Potential Index (IPKP) still include money politics as something that threatens social conduciveness during the election period.
Regarding this, Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Alexander Marwata invited the public to elect leaders and representatives of the people who have integrity and great capacity. Alex also asked the public to participate in anticipating the re-emergence of diseases in the elections in Indonesia, namely identity politics and money politics.
He also invited the public to elect leaders who have integrity and have the capacity to act as leaders and leaders who are responsible for the people who elect them.
The mass media and society must always work together to campaign for the 2024 Election with integrity. The practice of money politics needs to be addressed together through synergy and collaboration between various elements of the nation. Rejecting money politics during the 2024 General Election is important to maintain the substance of the five-year democratic party and not result in damage to the democratic climate and system.
