Campaign Rules are There to be Followed

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

A large banner about political parties participating in the 2019 general election is displayed in a corner of the General Elections Commission (KPU) building in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/8/2018). Twenty political parties, four of which are local Acehnese parties, will compete to pass the candidate nomination threshold set at 4 percent.

Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, is the first day of the campaign period for the April 17, 2019 general election for the president and members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and provincial/city legislative councils (DPRDs).

Lasting until April 13, 2019, the campaign period this time around is relatively long. For nearly six months, this nation will be treated to campaign activities and promises, both for the presidential election and the DPR, DPRD and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) elections, as well as political party campaigns.

The general election will determine the next president and vice president as well as members to the DPR, DPD as well as provincial, regency and city DPRDs. In this competitive environment, it is not hard to imagine a diverse range of campaign issues and controversies.

Besides fighting for the presidential and vice-presidential seats, the political parties must also consider how they can cross the legislative candidate nomination threshold of 4 percent. Parties failing to meet that threshold cannot nominate candidates as representatives to the DPR. The 4 percent threshold might simplify our political party landscape.

The focus of attention of the campaign is certainly the presidential election, in addition to the election of DPR members. Incumbent Joko Widodo and his running mate Ma\'ruf Amin will be challenged by presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his vice-presidential nominee Sandiaga Uno. The general election is an instrument of democracy provided for the people to exercise their political right as the sovereign authority.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

A discussion under the theme "Eradicating the Presidential Candidacy Threshold, Democracy Emergency, Constitutional Emergency" takes place at the PP Muhammadiyah offices in Jakarta, Tuesday (31/7/18). Speakers include (left to right) the chairman of the Central Executive Board of Muhammadiyah Busyro Muqoddas, academic and legal practitioner Feri Amsari, former deputy minister of law and human rights Denny Indrayana, Muhammadiyah Central Youth Board chairman Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) executive director Titi Anggraini, former General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay and academic Rocky Gerung.

We hope the campaign period can remained focused over the duration of six months. The government must not lose its focus on current problems, especially with regard to the economy, which demand full concentration. Ministers running as legislative candidates must be able to split their time between the tasks of government and their campaign duties.

Campaign rules laid out in the General Elections Law must be followed. Election organizers, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police, as well as civil servants must all remain neutral in the race. Any violation must be dealt with by the election supervisor. Article 280 of the General Elections Law stipulates prohibited campaign actions, including questioning the basis of the state, insulting candidates based on ethnicity or religion, inciting hatred and pitting one against another, disrupting public order and more.

We maintain that those rules must be followed for the democratic process to work well. However, we also want to note that it is very possible that elements from outside the national campaign teams seek to stir up sentiment, engage in character assassination through social media or deliberately cause disruption. The spread of defamatory information on social media must be anticipated to maintain peaceful democratic practices.

There is no need for the public to become ensnared in excessive fanaticism over candidates either. Like ordinary people, the candidates have their strengths and weaknesses. Track records can be a point of reference for determining candidates for the sake of the nation, but it must also be understood that Indonesian politics is still transactional.