Observer Says Postponed Election Discourse Infiltrated By Political Interests

Khoirul Umam/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Paramadina University Political Observer A Khoirul Umam assessed that the discourse of postponing the 2024 general election for 1-2 years is a proposal that is full of political interests and does not reflect the spirit of democracy in Indonesia. This was accepted because the 2020 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) was held during a pandemic. "The argument proposing the postponement of the 2024 General Election is very cliché and full of calculations of political interests," Umam said in a written message received in Jakarta, Friday, February 25. The proposal to postpone the 2024 election emerged. one of them is the General Chair of the PKB Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin). Muhaimin, who currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of the DPR RI, in Jakarta, Wednesday (23/2) said that the 2024 election should be postponed in order to maintain the momentum of economic recovery.

He submitted the proposal after hearing input from several MSME actors, economic analysts, and business people. According to Muhaimin, if the general election were to be held in 2024, he was worried that the transition of power could cause uncertainty in various sectors, especially in the economy and business. Muhaimin postponed the 2024 General Election, possibly driven by the need to fund the election, which is currently limited due to the impact of the pandemic. With the improvement of the pandemic situation and economic recovery," said Umam. Not only that, Umam, Executive Director of the Institute for Democracy & Strategic Affairs (IndoStrategic), also assessed that the proposal to postpone the election was an effort to buy time to increase political electability. is a strategy to buy time (buying time strategy) considering the level of electability The highest ace in the presidential candidate market is dominated by non-political party figures or political party figures but they have no control over political parties," said Umam. ) which has an adequate level of electability. "The rest, Airlangga (General Chair of Golkar), Cak Imin, and other political party leaders are still in the position of one comma (middle to lower, ed.)," said Umam. He believes they are election proponents. postponed hoping that the electability of political party leaders who are currently at the middle and lower levels can increase." Cak Imin's proposal, which is in line with the proposal of Investment Minister Bahlil some time ago, is likely to only accommodate the voices of entrepreneurs who are trying to defend their business interests, because they are worried that they will be affected. changes in the national power structure," said the Political Observer at Paramadina University a The 2024 election is not extended, because it can open up space for oligarchic and authoritarian powers to change the constitution in the interests of certain groups.