Pilpres Belongs to Us

Zuhro

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Senior researcher of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Siti Zuhro (left), 2019 presidential election peace ambassador Sheila Widyas Marini (center) and director of the General Election Conflict-Free House (RUBIK) Abdul Ghofur attend the declaration of the #sayajurudamaipilpres2019 movement at the General Election Commission (KPU) media center in Jakarta on Monday, Sept. 17. At the event, a discussion was also held with representatives from the General Election Organizer Honorary Council (DKPP), the General Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and national figures.

The moment to vote in the simultaneous elections that we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.

Tensions are increasingly felt. All parties need to show maturity to ensure that the elections run peacefully. Especially the presidential election (pilpres), as the echo of the legislative election has nearly been unheard. It has been submerged behind the heat of the pilpres. There are at least three reasons for this. First, because the 2019 presidential election is a head to head contest and is a rematch between Joko “Jokowi” and Prabowo Subianto. Second, the election is occurring in time of social division. Third, many people have expressed doubt the General Elections Commission (KPU) will ensure an honest and fair election, including in its handling of the final voter list (DPT), which has been controversial.

Islam vs non-Islam?

As the majority of the population, it understandable that Muslim votes are vied for. The issue of Islam vs non-Islam has always been a trending topic, including now. Interestingly, the two candidate pairs claim to be the most blessed by the clerics. While Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno claim to be the candidate pair produced from the cleric\'s ijtima, the same claim has also been made by Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Ma\'ruf Amin. In addition to claiming to be the result of the ijtihad (independent reasoning) of the Alim Ulama National Conference, this candidate pair is also supported by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Ma’ruf Amin was chosen as Jokowi\'s running mate, a direct refutation of the allegation the incumbent is anti-Islam.

NU\'s support for Jokowi can be understood by that fact that ideologically and historically NU has tended to be close to nationalist groups rather than modernist Islamic groups and Islamic groups, which have an image as "radicals" and are believed to be the main supporters of the opposition presidential candidate. However, differences in political choices are common, as, like in other religious communities, Indonesian Islam is also colorful, ranging from moderate to radical and from syncretic to fundamentalist.

Religions in pilpres

Indonesia is not a religious state, nor is it a secular one. The nation-state is religious, as stated in the first principle of Pancasila. On that basis, there is nothing wrong if religion is carried out in the realm of the presidential election as long as it carries religion in the form of "value" and not just in the form of "symbols". As a value, religion has the characteristics of a universal, manifesting in good social behavior, such as being trustworthy, orderly, honest and fair. Meanwhile, as a symbol, religion often slips into politicization, where religious symbols are manipulated to become propaganda, indoctrination and campaigns for narrow political interests.

As one of the important "spirits" of Pancasila, it should be that the presidential election runs in accordance with religious values, namely direct, general, free as well as honest and just.

As an important part of the presidential election, the campaign should be an arena to debate about different visions, mission and programs, with criticism based on data and facts, not an arena for smears to stigmatize opponents without foundation. Emotion is human as long as it is controlled and remains substantive. A campaign that is not sportive and civilized will actually hurt the campaigner himself because the campaign is basically a way and strategy to market political "goods" to voters. Therefore, what is needed is an informative and sympathetic campaign.

This is important for all parties to realize because swing voters are very significant in number, roughly 10 to 25 percent. Likewise, the number of less loyal voters, whose choices are not yet solid, is high. Based on a Kompas survey from Feb. 22 to March 5, for example, the number of Indonesian Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P) voters who were less loyal was estimated at 23.5 percent, while for Gerindra it was 18.24 percent, Golkar 43.4 percent, Democrats 54.9 percent, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) 40.3 percent and National Awakening Party (PKB) 38.2 percent.

Belonging to us

It is hoped that Indonesian elections will become substantive elections, not merely procedural. This is important for all parties to realize, especially ahead of voting and the critical periods of the election that follow, such as vote counting, which will be the main indicator of whether the election is substantive or not. Moreover, the truth is that elections belong to the people because elections are a means for the people to choose their leaders. In other words, it is the people who really have the most interest in the election.

Therefore, the people must be the front guard in opposing money politics because it is identical to pawning the power they have. The active participation of the people is a necessity, including in controlling the participants, election organizers and the government.

The elite, please stop giving coins to the people. Without the spirit of upholding truth and justice in elections, the aspirations to create a just and prosperous society will only be "words" without meaning. Hoping for a change from within through the bureaucracy and government is like expecting a snail to run.

Therefore, the role of the press as one of the pillars of democracy is also very important. The press should not be partisan because the press has a big responsibility as a guardian of social and political stability, especially, amid the swift flow of information, especially from the world of social media, which is often loaded with hoax news. The same responsibility should be carried out by the survey institutions. As a scientific study, honesty is an obligation. Lies (fraud in the world of science) are like a scientific "prostitution".

The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) has been built together, with "blood" spilt for mutual welfare. However, this "blood" should not be spilt in elections because the elections are jointly owned. So, if there is a people power discourse, this is sufficiently answered by real and professional work from the election organizers, the government, the bureaucracy, and law enforcement officials. Let the people choose their leaders in a free and confidential way without pressure, direction and mobilization.

Independence is God\'s grace that we have to be grateful for. Therefore, the elections must succeed by enlivening the polling stations and by guarding them together until the election is completed. As

citizens, we should be proud to use our political rights to choose leaders. Abstaining it is the attitude of people who are not grateful. Indonesia is known to the world as a country that has held elections peacefully. God willing, the simultaneous elections in 2019 will be the same, as the elections belong to us and should not be harmed.

R Siti Zuhro, Research Professor at LIPI