By: Mika Putri Larasati )*
Religious harmony in Indonesia is able to make the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) much safer and more peaceful because people with different backgrounds can come together and join hands with each other.
Realizing the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) safely and peacefully is indeed a responsibility and obligation of all parties without exception, especially considering the condition of the Indonesian people, which is very multicultural. With these differences, it can actually become a very extraordinary strength. However, it presupposes that there is cohesion and harmony between different religious communities so that this nation will always be safe and peaceful, including when holding a democratic party in the context of the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada).
At least, in the last 3 years, the Religious Harmony Index (KUB) in Indonesia has continued to increase. According to the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance (Dirjen Bimas) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), Kamaruddin Amin, in 2021, the KUB Index was at 72.39, then increased in 2022 to 73.09 and in 2023 continued to increase to 76.02.
There are three dimensions that serve as benchmarks for religious harmony in the country, namely the first is tolerance, then equality and cooperation. Efforts to continue to maintain or maintain harmony are clearly very important. Some concrete ways that can make religious harmony more intertwined are by mutually strengthening the cohesion and tolerance of the people, rather than prioritizing actions that will only lead to segregation or efforts to separate each other.
The holding of Simultaneous Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) in 2024 is now a significant moment to test the balance of relations between religion and the state. In the end, this momentum clearly demands a moderate approach to continue to maintain diversity and create inclusive space in increasingly heated political dynamics.
In this context, religious moderation is an essential basis for ensuring that regional elections are able to reflect the values of justice, tolerance and unity. Head of the Research and Development Center for Lectures, Religious Treasures and Organizational Management (LKKMO) of the Research and Development and Training Agency of the Ministry of Religion, Prof. Dr. Mohamad Isom revealed that in fact the government has continued to make efforts so that all parties in Indonesia are able to implement the values of religious moderation.
In relation to the Pilkada, this is a regional level democratic party which of course the local community welcomes with great enthusiasm and joy. Therefore, as a religious community in Indonesia, we must be able to develop all balanced values in the political contestation of this nation.
The entire community must develop balanced and moderate values in creating and underlying regional head election activities which in the last few days have increasingly shown the intensity of extraordinary political dynamics.
All parties must be able to create moderate, inclusive spaces in order to be able to apply the value of tolerance despite different choices, including differences in political preferences so that society in Indonesia continues to move towards the true goal as the motto of the founding fathers of the nation, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.
For your information, the true goal of the Indonesian people is to create a nation that is safe, just and prosperous so that all religious communities are still able to live with each other comfortably and peacefully, even within the framework of differences, but remain one within the Republic of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the Domestic Policy Strategy Agency (BSKDN) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) invites all parties to work together and synergize to ensure that the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election (Pilkada) can run safely and peacefully.
The Head of BSKDN, Yusharto Huntoyungo, revealed that in order to create a safe, smooth and democratic Pilkada, all parties, starting from the organizers, namely the KPUD and also the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) should continue to carry out their duties on the track, including implementing all its functions and authorities by acting neutrally and with integrity and being able to guarantee the right to vote for every community.
Then, the local regional government (Pemda) should be able to provide full support for the implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada in November, whether in the form of security support, ensuring budget availability and providing facilitation for the organizers.
Furthermore, it is also important for the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) to be neutral in the implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections, because this neutrality is able to ensure that the democratic party runs fairly and democratically.
All of these things, namely good cooperation between elements of parties including civil society to continue to create harmony between differences in backgrounds, such as religious differences, will clearly further encourage the realization of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections which are safe and peaceful.
)* Author of Nusantara Reading Room
