Debate Of The Third Presidential Candidate Must Highlight Indonesia's Soft Power Ability

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JAKARTA The theme of the third presidential candidate of the 2024 presidential election on Defense, Security, International Relations and Geopoliticals is feared to only highlight Indonesia's hard power, not soft power capabilities.

International Relations Observer from the University of Jember, Agus Trihartono, assessed that with this predetermined theme, the three presidential candidates will tend to dwell around hard power. This means that military and economic issues are very likely to dominate in the debate.

"The panelists taken are all experts in hard power, yes. Discussions about the military and the economy are certainly not wrong and that is indeed the core of international relations, but the world now does not only pay attention to hard power issues," he said, Sunday, January 7.

He explained that hard power is indeed important for the association of a country in the international community. However, currently many other countries also care about the soft power aspect. Because soft power can make other countries or the international community follow, even pros in a country because they are interested in three aspects, namely culture, political policy and value.

Agus gave an example of the large influence of K-Pop from South Korea in various parts of the world. Without realizing it, South Korea has great power to influence the international community through this K-Pop culture.

"People don't know that K-Pop is not only the image of South Korea that is getting closer to us, but also our money also ran there without us being felt," he said.

Indonesia itself, continued Agus, has enormous potential in the soft power aspect, both value, policy, and culture. Included in it through its culinary. Many regions in Indonesia have distinctive culinary delights, from Sabang to Merauke.

He emphasized that a country can have power through culinary, or in HI science known as gastroplomacy. In fact, two periods of President Jokowi's leadership are the period during which gastroplomacy is considered.

"So, in the era of Jokowi, the first period in 2016 introduced a brand power (gastrodiplomacy), then in 2021, Jokowi introduced Indonesia Spice Up The World (ISUTW). It exists, Jokowi has thought far into that realm. Now, what is now (the presidential and vice presidential candidates) are actually discussing military issues," said Agus.