BRIN Asks For A 2024 Presidential Candidate To Focus On Ideas, Not Political Campaign, Identity

Illustration of the 2024 presidential election. (Between)

JAKARTA - Researcher from the Political Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Aisah Putri Budiatri asked the presidential and vice presidential candidates during the 2024 presidential election to prioritize ideas rather than campaigns against identity strength.

"Of course, in each election, it is hoped that each candidate will focus more on fighting ideas, visions, missions and work programs, not competing against the strength of group identities," said Aisah Putri in Jakarta, Thursday, December 15.

According to him, politics based on vision and mission and ideas will be more beneficial for voters than politics facing identity. Because, this will then have a direct impact on voters later. "Meanwhile, the impact of group identity complaints will only end in group division," explained Puput.

In addition, Puput assessed, presidential and vice-presidential candidates must encourage the strengthening of elections based on complaints of ideas. He said that so far the politics of ideas has not been seen in holding elections in Indonesia.

"The candidates must lead the election to an idea complaint that has never been seen in the election. As a result of not focusing on arguing about ideas, candidates in the election, even during debates, even though they always talk about things that are normative and between candidates, it is not clear what the perspective and program are," he said.

Puput added that currently Indonesian voters are ready and able to be in the politics of ideas. The development of information technology makes them smarter and able to choose based on rationality.

"In fact, Indonesian voters are now politically literate and can access information quickly via the internet, so they are ready to enter the election with ideas, not just choosing potentials based on popularity - favorites," he concluded.

Previously, the Indonesian Election Study Institute (LKPI) released a recent survey related to political dynamics and public choices of presidential candidates (candidates) in 2024. The survey puts forward the criteria that must be met by prospective leaders in the future, namely being able to improve the quality of Indonesia's economy and human resources.

The LKPI survey also measured the electability of a number of figures to become president in 2024. The most chosen figures were Airlangga Hartarto with 17.20 percent, Prabowo Subianto 16.20 percent, Ganjar Pranowo 10.7 percent, Anies Baswedan with 7.40 percent, and Puan Maharani 4.7 percent.