Number Urut Pair Of Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates For The 2024 Presidential Election And Magis Number Events

Photo with the contestants for the 2024 presidential election at the KPU Building, Jakarta, Tuesday (14/11/2023). (Between/Galih Pradipta)

JAKARTA Fit to the logic made by the public regarding the serial number of presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs is denied by a number of political experts. According to them, voters will strengthen their choices based on the program of Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, not according to serial numbers.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the serial number of presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday (14/11/2023) in Jakarta. At the event opened by KPU Chairman Hasyim As' that day, three pairs of contestants attended the serial number draw agenda.

The pair Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar received serial number 1, followed by a duet promoted by PDIP, Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD received serial number 3.

The couple from the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM), Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, got their last turn and they got number 2.

Although it has no impact on winning the presidential election, serial numbers are considered to have their own meaning. It is said that couples with even numbers have a greater chance of winning than odd numbers.

This refers to the presidential election with the people's system being directly elected from 2004 to 2019. Of the four editions, the pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates with even serial numbers won the most, namely three times.

It happened in the 2004 presidential election when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf Kalla, who had serial number 4, came out victorious. Then five years later, SBY, who this time was paired with Budiono, got number 2 and they managed to rank first.

In 2014, it was the turn of President Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla to get the most votes with serial number 2. But the magic number even stopped in the 2019 presidential election. At that time the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair received serial number 2 but had to lose to Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin with serial number 1.

It is only natural that people then start to match the serial number with a chance to win. Incidentally, based on the KPU lottery, the pair who got the even number in the 2024 presidential election was the Prabowo-Gibran duo.

Not to mention the emergence of the assumption that couples in the middle tend to vote more for voters. Then, will the pair promoted by KIM get lucky through even numbers?

Political expert Pangi Syarwi Chaniago said the serial number had absolutely nothing to do with determining the victory.

"It's just hallucinations, not necessarily true. All numbers are good and there is no guarantee that the middle number, the even number will be chosen by someone. This is just a symptomatory of people," Pangi told VOI.

The Executive Director of the Voxpol Center Research and Consulting emphasized that voters do not care about the serial number of presidential and vice presidential candidates. According to him, among the things that can be considered by voters is the action of the contestants.

"People will see the vision and mission of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, what programs are superior, their partner's actions and their willingness to overcome problems in society," Pangi added.

"So, it has nothing to do with serial numbers. People will choose because the figure of the candidate himself, although there is also a party, but if you choose to be aware of the serial number it's too late," he continued.

On the other hand, political observer from Al Azhar University Indonesia Andriadi Achmad also has a similar view. According to him, serial numbers are nothing more than just numbers.

Even if you want to be compatible, Andriadi actually responds more casually and leads to symbols that apply generally to society.

This serial number is not something urgent. But maybe people like to associate it with symbols. If Anies number 1, it's right, as a symbol of Tauhid. This is in accordance with the background of Anies and Muhaimin from the NU circles," Andriadi told VOI.

Prabowo-Gibran number 2 which is synonymous with symbols of peace, peace. This refers to the reconciliation of Prabowo and Gibran. Number 3 is identical to the metal finger, which is said to be in accordance with PDIP," said Andiradi.

According to Andriadi, the current community is very realistic about what they want to choose. So, even if one of the couples has better electability or is considered popular, it will not affect voters when voting on February 14, 2024.

In line with Pangi, Andriadi emphasized that these programs from the presidential candidates could attract the attention of voters, not from serial numbers.

"People will choose based on the program said, how is the track record that has been done," explained the man from Bengkulu.

"What we all want is a quality presidential election, so that it gives birth to quality leaders as well, leaders who bring Indonesia forward," Andriadi said again.