By : David Dwi Rahmad )*
The simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) which will be held on November 27 2024 throughout Indonesia are not just a five-year political event. This is a real manifestation of Indonesia’s increasingly mature democracy. Every political contest, whether at the district, city or provincial level, must be carried out in the spirit of maintaining integrity, justice and peace. Therefore, it is important for all elements of society, political parties and organizers to jointly commit to increasing collaboration in order to realize peaceful and dignified regional elections.
Implementing peaceful regional elections is the dream of the entire community. For this reason, the declaration of a peaceful campaign carried out by various parties in a number of regions is a positive start in welcoming the 2024 regional elections. In Central Sulawesi (Sulteng), the local General Election Commission (KPU) held a peaceful campaign declaration with three pairs of gubernatorial candidates (paslon). and deputy governor. In this declaration, all parties are committed to realizing direct, general, free, secret, honest and fair regional elections. The signing of the declaration text is also a strong symbol of joint efforts to create safe and orderly contestation, without politicization of ethnicity, religion, race and intergroup (SARA), hoaxes or money politics.
Chairman of the East Kotawaringin KPU (Kotim), Muhammad Rifqi, firmly stated that collaboration between parties is the key to realizing peaceful regional elections. Not only election organizers, but also the public and political parties must participate in ensuring that every stage of the election runs according to the rules. Rifqi’s statement highlighted the importance of cooperation between organizers, the community and regional election participants to maintain the integrity of this democratic process. With strong collaboration, election integrity will be maintained and the potential for conflict can be minimized.
In the midst of technological advances and increasingly complex social dynamics, maintaining peace is not an easy matter. Hoaxes and provocative news are serious challenges that must be faced by all parties. Sensitive issues related to SARA often become a tool to divide society. Therefore, public education and increasing information literacy are very important. The public is advised to be more critical in receiving information, ensuring that the news they receive has been verified before being disseminated.
Lampung Province is an example of how strong social capital is an important foundation for realizing peaceful regional elections. In the peace campaign declaration which was attended by Acting. The Governor of Lampung, Samsudin, emphasized that the implementation of the regional elections in this province would be a big test for the integrity of democracy. With a large number of voters and complex political dynamics, Samsudin invites all parties to increase supervision, security and professional implementation. This challenge requires thorough preparation from all parties, both in terms of supervision and enforcement.
Lampung Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Helmy Santika, invited all parties involved in the regional elections to refrain from provocative actions and continue to uphold honesty and fair play in political contestations. From a third party perspective, Helmy is committed to ensuring that there is no room for provocative issues or anarchic actions that could damage the democratic process in Lampung. The Regional Police Chief’s statement is a signal that the security forces are ready to oversee the regional elections so that they take place safely and peacefully.
Chairman of Bawaslu for Lampung Province, Iskardo P. Panggar, added that Lampung has strong social capital in maintaining harmony between communities. With the motto Sai Bumi Ruwa Jurai, the people of Lampung are accustomed to social harmony passed down from generation to generation. This is a big force in keeping the regional elections peaceful and running in accordance with applicable regulations. This history of harmony has become a solid foundation for Lampung in facing political dynamics that may arise during the Pilkada stage.
Apart from the important role of election officials and organizers, the community has a big responsibility in maintaining the conduciveness of the regional elections. Active community participation in every stage of the election can improve the quality of democracy and reduce the potential for fraud. High public participation will ensure that election results truly reflect the aspirations of the people.
In this context, massive outreach and education about the importance of maintaining peaceful and fraud-free regional elections is very important. The public must understand that they not only play a role as voters, but also as observers of the election process. Public supervision is very necessary to prevent various forms of fraud that could damage the integrity of the regional elections.
One of the steps taken by the KPU in various regions is to conduct outreach on the stages of the Pilkada and remind the public about the importance of maintaining a conducive atmosphere. In East Kotawaringin, for example, the local KPU chairman held an outreach that emphasized the importance of active participation from the community to maintain calm and honesty in the election process. This is part of a joint effort to ensure that each stage of the Pilkada runs smoothly and according to the rules.
The 2024 simultaneous regional elections are a big momentum for all regions in Indonesia to show maturity in democracy. Collaboration between organizers, security forces, political parties and the community is the main key in realizing peaceful and integrity regional elections. The declaration of a peaceful campaign carried out in various regions, such as Central Sulawesi and Lampung, is a concrete step that shows a joint commitment to maintaining order and peace during the election process.
With active community participation, strict supervision, and the commitment of all parties to reject hoaxes, politicization of SARA, and money politics, the 2024 Pilkada will be an example of a healthy and dignified democracy. Let’s together create peaceful regional elections that reflect the honor and dignity of the nation.
)* The author is a political observer
