By: M. Akmal Ardiansyah *)

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Some regions in Indonesia will freely choose and be chosen to determine the Local Leader. Local Leader Election is democratic means to form a regional power system that sovereignity of the people and consultative representatives outlined by the constitution. The power that comes through election is a power that come from the ground, and used in accordance with the wishes of the people. General elections imply the implementation of the government machinery in an orderly, organized, and peaceful, and it can be the beginning of respectful society. Intelligence and thoroughness of the people in choosing the Local Leader is very important, because the voices of the people determine the future progress of a region.

Implementation of Local Leader Election simultaneously will be held on Wednesday, February 15th 2017. The total area that will hold the elections are 101 areas, consisting of 7 provinces, 18 cities and 76 districts. The seven Provinces are Aceh, Bangka Belitung, Jakarta, Banten, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi and West Papua. 

The elections are for the community in determining candidates of good, wise and trustworthy leader. However, ordinary people still regard the elections only for the interests of political parties and the community’s voice only as a complement. So, people tend not to vote in the election. People who not vote are sometimes exploited by interested groups in order to win one candidate who do not have the credibility, capability and quality in leading a region. It can affect the region progress and the faith of the people. Therefore, we must become a smart and critical people in selecting the region leader as it affect the fate of the community. So, there is no more abstention and we must know our future leader who will be chosen and we have to choose the right one for the sake of our own destiny.

In the Election Day 2017, there are several problems that can interfere the implementation of the elections. Some of these problems include elections budget problems, invalidated voters list (DPT) and electronic identity card problems, the intimidation of interest groups, and clashes between supporters. The Elections committee performance in resolving these issues is the key to success of the elections, but we cannot depend on the Election committee alone because the election is our common celebration. Therefore, we have to be involved in organizing the elections and helped to overcome the problems that could hold up the implementation of the Elections. 

Budget issues in the elections needs to be a common concern because elections committees are sometimes still not right in the planning process for a budgeting things and there are some parties who misuse the elections budget for personal benefit. Budget issues are the problem that will lead to corrupt practices (Coruption, Collusion and Nepotism), which can be detrimental to the state and society. In Manokwari, West Papua, the Chief of Financial Management Board and the Asset (known as BPKAD), AbiaUllu stated and assessed that the Election budget in 2017 ofRp 506 billion,which previously aimed for 8 candidates need to be evaluated because local KPU only assign 3 candidates in West Papua Governor Election of 2017.They asked the commission to clarify the status of West Papua elections budget to the Local Government Budget Team (known as TAPD) in West Papua, because the manuscript of Regional Grant Agreement (known as NPHD) is still considered to be corrected. Based on that budgeting issue, we need to be critical and participate in supervising the elections budget absorption and doen’t hesitate to denounce the elections budget problems to authorities.

In the campaign implementation, the candidates of Local Leaders and their supporters are competing in order to gain support from the voters. In the fierce competition, there are certain elements that will try to knock the opposite parties by using black campaign in order to bring down the prestige of its competitors. But on the other hand, black campaign also indicates the lack of maturity of democracy in Indonesia, including the lack of sincerity in facing an opponent wins, so the political habit eventually ended up with other criminal acts. Then we as intelligent people should be able to sort out a statement that can be trusted and cannot be trusted, and we also should not be easily provoked by interest groups who want spread hatred.

At this time, the commission is determining voters list which will participate in the elections. But in their establishment, the Commission experienced problems because there are still some people who are not yet aware of their obligations as a voter for the election to complete the requirements to process the creation the electronic identity card. Delays in handling the electronic identity card impact on the preparation of voters list, but people who do not have an electronic identity card can still vote in Election 2017. Pekanbaru Commissioner, Abdul Razak JER said that the local people who don’t have an electronic identity card and not registered in DPT can vote on the election 2017. They can vote but with some conditions, such as by using a certificate from the Department of Population and Civil Registration.

We must fight for our voices to determine the appropriate Local Leader, who has criteria for intelligent, responsibility, trustworthy, honest, self-sacrificing, loving people and wise. We surely don’t want our voices be purchased only to elect a leader who is not appropriate.  Is it still questionably that to which elections for? It is certainly not confined to the committee of the elections, but is entirely owned by the public, the committee of the elections actually just facilitating communities to implement the elections.

So the celebration of democracy is promiscuous society that is of the people, for the people and by the people in welcoming the progress achieved an area led by the right leader for the welfare of society. Therefore, we must fight for our voice as an intelligent people with selecting the appropriate Local Leader and helped the committee of the elections in the success of the successful conduct of the elections implementation in 2017. 

* Political issues observer.

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