Youth Calls for Collaboration to Realize Peaceful Regional Elections for the Future of the Nation
By : Dhita Karuniawati )*
The Regional Head Election (Pilkada) which will be held on November 27 2024, will be a democratic stage to determine qualified regional leaders for sustainable development over the next five year period. As a category of voters with quite a large percentage, youth have an important role in ensuring the smoothness and success of the 2024 Pilkada implementation process.
The large number of young voters is a challenge in itself for the organizers of the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada, where the current problem is that apart from the level of knowledge and understanding of young voters regarding politics which is still considered not optimal, they are also faced with the possibility of widespread hoaxes spreading on social media. For this reason, the role of youth is very important in calling for collaboration to realize peaceful regional elections for a better future for the nation.
Amungme Tribe Youth Leader, Mimika Regency, Elie Dolame invited all parties to realize safe and peaceful regional elections. Harmonious relations between people should continue to be maintained even though choices differ. He hopes that the public will understand more about the 2024 Pilkada stage process so that they will not be affected by actions that lead to disruption of Public Order and Order.
Residents are advised not to be provoked by incitement or invitations from unrighteous individuals. Candidates must also be ready to accept the final results and follow every process and stage of the Pilkada. Elie also emphasized that Papua really loves peace so there should be no loss of life because of the interests of certain individuals. It is important for all parties in Papua to show their compatriots outside Papua that the democratic party in Papua is safe and peaceful.
Regarding acts of violence carried out by certain groups in several areas, Elie asked the security forces to act decisively so that the implementation of the regional elections would not be chaotic due to the actions of certain groups. The community will become victims if chaos occurs, because as a result the community cannot distribute their rights. As disturbances such as those that occurred in Paniai caused many people to flee. Pilkada is the door to change for all parties in a better direction.
Meanwhile, a number of student elements consisting of the Student Executive Board (BEM) at West Kalimantan (Kalbar) Universities also called for peaceful 2024 regional elections. The declaration which took place at the Pontianak State Polytechnic campus contained a joint commitment to support the safe and peaceful implementation of the 2024 regional elections. The points emphasized in the declaration include supporting the 2024 regional elections and rejecting hate speech in them.
Chairman of the West Kalimantan People’s BEMSI, Agim Nastiar, emphasized the importance of maintaining security, order and smoothness during the 2024 West Kalimantan Pilkada. Make sure this runs orderly and smoothly, without any provocation. His party rejects all forms of hate speech, spreading hoax news, politicization of SARA, as well as black campaigns in the 2024 regional election contestation.
Apart from that, Agim and other students are ready to provide political education directly to voters. They took this step as a form of commitment to the 2024 regional elections with dignity, without identity politics, and without provocation in West Kalimantan.
Likewise, the Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) of Buleleng Regency, Komang Dudhi Udiyana, emphasized the importance of the role of the younger generation in making the 2024 Pilkada a success. in the future.
The younger generation plays an important role in maintaining the values of Pancasila and is responsible for themselves to ensure the continuation of good leadership in Indonesia. It is hoped that the younger generation will be able to come to the polling stations and vote in the 2024 regional elections. And don’t let young people set a bad example of democracy by abstaining, because this is the same as letting their votes be wasted in the 2024 regional elections.
All components of the nation, especially youth, play an important role in realizing a safe and peaceful 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election. The safe and peaceful implementation of the 2024 regional elections can be achieved by maintaining the stability of the political, legal and security situation. Moreover, 2024 is a record year for implementation because it will be held simultaneously in 37 provinces, 415 districts and 93 cities.
Youth must be at the forefront to provide an example of being wise voters by creating a peaceful democratic atmosphere in the 2024 Pilkada. Apart from that, young people also participate in monitoring the progress of the Pilkada stages and are not easily provoked by news that is not necessarily true. If there is news that is not necessarily true, it is necessary to check, recheck and crosscheck comprehensively so that it does not cause public uproar. Youth also need to reject attitudes of intolerance, radicalism and terrorism to create security, order and peace ahead of the 2024 regional elections.
Differences in choices in the regional elections cannot be avoided and are normal as long as national unity and integrity are maintained. Differences must not be resolved through violence, but rather through deliberation and consensus to find the best solution to resolve all problems peacefully. Let’s make the 2024 regional elections a success together peacefully, especially the active contribution of young people.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesian Institute for Strategic Information Studies
