PKB: Large Volunteer Contributions Can Even Reduce Expensive Political Costs

JAKARTA - Faction member (PKB) Yanuar Prihatin, assesses the presence of volunteers in political contestations cannot be underestimated. Volunteers are considered to have a great contribution and can even reduce political costs. "I appreciate the very important position of volunteers as part of democracy, accelerating participation that is far more qualified and providing an extraordinary effect of reducing political costs," said Yanuar at the DPR Building, Thursday, November 11. Historically, he continued, in the world of Indonesian politics, there is nothing unique or strange about the position of volunteers. "But I want to convey, the position of volunteers becomes very important when we see that our democracy is very expensive," said the member of Commission II of the DPR. Volunteers, he said, were also effective in campaigning for supported figures. In fact, they move on their own initiative.

Yanuar saw the effectiveness of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) volunteers during the 2019 Presidential Election (Pilpres) where they compactly increased Jokowi's electability.

"How volunteers work, how at the national, provincial, and even local levels, some of them come up voluntarily," he said.

According to Yanuar, the totality of volunteers is formed because of mutual awareness so that the activities of the volunteers wholeheartedly support the champion figure.

"Collective work is based on common interests, yes, but more than that, common habits, networking similarities and even cultural similarities," said Yanuar.