Create Peaceful Elections, Avoid Political Politicization of Religion That Contradicts Pancasila

All parties should be able to continue to fight for and strive for the creation of a peaceful 2024 general election. One of the things that must be done is to avoid the politicization of religion because this is very contrary to Pancasila.

General Election (Pemilu) is a means of implementing people’s sovereignty to elect members of the People’s Representative Council (DPR), members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), President and Vice President and to elect members of the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD).
The event is also commonly referred to as a democratic party, because it is carried out with full democratic principles such as being carried out directly, publicly, freely, confidentially, honestly and fairly within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) based on the Pancasila state ideology and also the Constitution (UUD) Republic of Indonesia in 1945.
As a means for Indonesian people to be able to vote, express opinions through their voices and also participate as an important part of the country, so that they participate in determining the direction of the country. The Indonesian state upholds the rights of Indonesian citizens. Based on these rights the fate of the nation and state is determined, one of which is by actively participating in the use of voting rights.
At the time of entering the election period, political elites compete to gain public sympathy by any means, one of which is with money politics. Money politics has the potential to harm the state, because there is a tendency that if you have won the votes, there will be an attempt to return the previously issued capital. This can lead to acts of corruption. Money politics is very detrimental to the nation’s progress in the democratic system in Indonesia.
It’s not just the practice of money politics, but there are other practices in politics in Indonesia that also deserve constant attention, namely the politicization of religion. How could it not be, because with this matter, political interests have ridden religion and in the name of religion.
What’s worse is, when a political interest turns out to be wrapped in the name of religion, then it is as if a crime that has occurred and is being committed, it becomes as if it looks respectable and is also being done well because it is being done in the name of God.
For this reason, it is indeed the duty of all elements of the nation in Indonesia to be able to continue to jointly oversee and strive to create a peaceful holding of elections. Not only peaceful, but the upcoming 2024 election must also be carried out with quality and completely stay away from the practice of politicizing religion because it is completely incompatible and contrary to the basic ideology and philosophy of the state, Pancasila.
Regarding efforts to continue to maintain peace in the whole series of the 2024 Election democratic party, Head of the Pro Jokowi-Amin HMI Alumni Exponent, Ato’ Ismalik stated that maintaining peace in the Election is a very important thing to do. How could it not be, because according to him the election event is one of the agendas for upholding democratization in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Baitul Muslimin Indonesia (Bamusi), Hamka Haq added that one way to create a peaceful democratic party is to hold the event without the politicization of religion.
Still on the same occasion, the General Chairperson of PP Muhammadiyah, Haedar Nashir said that by continuing to improve the life of the nation and state without the politicization of religion, it would be able to maintain the unity of Pancasila.
For him, there really needs to be a very firm agreement from many parties that to continue to strive to build peace in religious life and also continue to increase national solidarity without any discrimination and politicization of religion.
Emphatically, Haedar stated that the existence of the practice of politicizing religion is something that is very contrary to the ideology of Pancasila. The reason is, when the politicization of religion is still carried out, it will give birth to national disinterpretation.
When this practice still exists, it will not only be the politicization of religion that will occur, but also identity politics which is discriminatory and also very inconsistent with the teachings of Pancasila in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
The spread of the issue of the politicization of religion, then according to the Presidium Chair of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), Mgr. Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, that it becomes a challenge in itself when the flow of information is very intense.
Thus, all elements of the nation are indeed very important in order to be able to avoid the practice of politicizing religion. Not without reason, this is because the practice of politicizing religion is something that is very contrary to the values ​​and teachings of Pancasila ideology. Together, all parties must also continue to strive for the occurrence and creation of a peaceful 2024 general election.

)* The author is a contributor to Nusantara Reading Room