The process of electoral democracy in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, will test the commitment of this nation, especially the political elite, to democracy.
In accordance with the process of electoral democracy, of course, there will be a pair of candidates who will be more trusted by Jakarta residents to lead the capital city for the 2017-2022 period. This is reasonable and very normal in the process of democracy. Whether the mandate is given again to the incumbent pair Basuki Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saiful Hidayat or the new pair, namely former education and culture minister Anies Rasyid Baswedan and Sandiaga S Uno, will be determined by the votes of Jakarta residents on Wednesday, tomorrow.
The maturity of democracy will be determined by the readiness of the candidates to accept the results of the election. Victory or defeat is not the end of a political career for the pairs of candidates. What should be prioritized is the attitude of the pairs of candidates and their campaign teams to receive the result of the votes in a Jakarta gubernatorial election which is honest, fair and transparent for a better Jakarta. A Jakarta which is diverse, and a Jakarta which is tolerant.
The pairs of candidates and their campaign teams have a moral responsibility not to damage democratic values. Buying votes, intimidating voters not to choose a specific candidate pair or to choose the other pair is anti-democratic and must be avoided. The rule of law must be obeyed and respected so that Jakarta can still be used as a barometer for the election in other regions.
In a truly open system, fraudulent acts will soon be recognized by the public. Given the rationality of Jakarta residents, we believe political bribery and intimidation will not dampen their enthusiasm to vote on Wednesday. We encourage Jakarta residents to use their voting rights, a political right that is guaranteed by the constitution, to determine the future of Jakarta and Indonesia. Let them speak in accordance with their conscience.
We are confident that with the experience of history, Jakarta will be able to pass the test of democracy that is felt by a part of the people to be very heavy. The penetration of social media which often produces false news and content, which cannot be accounted for, sometimes affects the psychological condition of Jakarta residents. The situation was actually read from the varied results of a number of survey institutions. The average results of the surveys show the difference between the pairs of candidates is still within the error range, making it difficult to predict who will be the winner. The political elite and the public have the responsibility to ensure our democracy matures.
