The Crossing Of "Tersangka Penusukan Tree" Should Be Aware Of Prospective Candidates Not Just Installing Banners

Illustration of the legislative campaign that featured posters on trees (doc VOI/Diah Ayu)

JAKARTA - The stamp action with the words "suspect of stabbing trees" using spray paint on the legislative banners and presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2024 General Election is widely discussed on social media.

The graffiti targets of "suspects of tree stabbing" did not target all campaign props (APK). This unidentified group of youths only put the stamp on a banner that was pinned on a tree trunk.

A dayah.id's Instagram account became the first to publish the action. The initiator of the graffiti action of the "suspect of stabbing a tree" who is also the holder of the aelah.id Instagram account explained to VOI why his party carried out this action.

Jo (not his real name), admitted that he was worried about the rampant campaign banners on trees. In fact, the General Elections Commission (KPU) clearly prohibits this.

This is stated in KPU Regulation Number 15 of 2023 concerning General Election Campaign. Referring to Article 70, trees are one of the objects prohibited from being attached to campaign props.

"I feel that the campaign method for several legislative candidates is extreme, even damaging the environment. I'm also confused, how come banners on trees are allowed. Me and my friends actually feel that what they (the candidates) are doing is real vandalism," Jo told VOI, some time ago.

In driving this action, Jo and a number of colleagues initially mapped the points of banners on trees they previously saw during their daily activities.

Furthermore, they moved together to bring spray paint and prints with the words "suspect of stabbing a tree" to launch the action. This action was carried out in the North Jakarta area.

Jo revealed the reason his party did not report to the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) or the local Satpol PP for the existence of the legislative banners.

According to him, the way to remove "suspects of tree stabbing" can more raise awareness for election participants not to carelessly install campaign props.

"If we remove them, they will be sad too. Let the banners be damaged and let them know the posters are sent so that they realize that the stabbing of trees is wrong," Jo explained.

From this action, Jo hopes that the candidates, presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as political parties can appreciate the environment more in carrying out the campaign in the political year.

"This is their evaluation. Hopefully, in the future they can think. Without any rules, people like people who run for representatives of the people should know that this plant is a living thing too," he added.

Chairman of the Indonesian Bawaslu Rahmat Bagja responded to the deletion of this "suspect of stabbing a tree". Bagja emphasized that the use of campaign banners on trees clearly violated the rules.

However, Bagja is also still watching whether the actions of these anonymous youths are included in the destruction of campaign props or not. Given that this banner that was damaged had indeed violated the provisions of the campaign.

"Well, that's a problem, the debate will be with us. But what is clear is that trees are prohibited from being installed. There are rules in PKPU, right, we carry out KPU regulations," said Bagja on Saturday, January 13.