Observer: People Should Not Be Separated Because Of Political Elites That Are Conflicting

Political Communication Observer at Padjajaran University, Kunto Adi Wibowo, said that the public should not be divided because the political elite is in conflict after the election period.

"You have to be able to distinguish between rhetoric for the interests of the elite, which is rhetoric that aims to care for democracy. Now this is difficult because rhetoric will be the same. It takes sharpness and depth to think for us to respond to elite issues," said Kunto, quoted from Antara, Saturday, March 30.

According to Kunto, the narration war only occurred at the political elite level, causing only interparty conflicts.

The conflict, he continued, would be dangerous if it caused a narrative that influenced the community to be provoked so that there would be divisions between supporters of certain groups.

"If it is a horizontal conflict, it will be difficult to reduce or cool its political tension," said Kunto.

He continued, there are many bad possibilities that can occur when conflicts have been created in society. One of them is the mobilization of large numbers of people to carry out anarchic and intimidating actions.

Until now, Kunto sees that there has been no visible conflict split in society created by the narrative of the political elite. He hopes that the conducive condition will be maintained during the election dispute process at the Constitutional Court (MK).

"I hope it will continue to be conducive in the atmosphere. Even though there is friction and dynamics in the elite, the tension is increasing," he said.

The Constitutional Court is currently holding the inaugural trial for handling the 2024 General Election Result Dispute (PHPU Presiden) case with the case requested by the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 01 Anies Rasyid Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar on the General Election Commission (KPU) Decree Number 360 of 2024 concerning the Determination of the Results of the General Election of the President and Vice President, Members of the DPR, DPD, Provincial DPRD, and the National Regency/City DPRD in the 2024 General Election.

Anies said the 2024 Presidential Election did not run freely, honestly, and fairly.

The applicant's attorney Bambang Widjojanto conveyed the main points of the petition. The petitioner argued that the vote count results for the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair Number Urut 02, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka (96,214,691 or 58.6 percent) were obtained in a manner that violated the election principles and the principle of holding elections, namely being free, honest, and fair seriously through power machines and violations of procedures.

In its petitum, the petitioner asks the Constitutional Court to declare null and void the KPU Decree Number 360 of 2024 concerning the Determination of the National General Election Results.

The petitioner also asked the Constitutional Court to declare the disqualification of the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 02 Prabowo-Gibran as participants in the 2024 General Election, including canceling the KPU Decree related to the determination of the candidate pair 02 regarding the determination of the serial number of candidate pairs participating in the general election of the president and deputy on behalf of Prabowo-Gibran.

In addition, the applicant asked the Constitutional Court to order the KPU to re-vote (PSU) without including candidate pair 02 Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as well as ordering the General Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) to carry out supervision in the context of implementing this decision.