Many Dirty Vote Films, Yusril Reminds People Not To Be Divided

Professor of constitutional law Yusril Ihza Mahendra at Bareskrim Polri, Monday 15 January. (Rizky A-VOI).

JAKARTA Deputy Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Prabowo-Gibran National Campaign Team (TKN), Yusril Ihza Mahendra responded to the film Dirty Vote which went viral after it was released on the first day of the peace period of the 2024 General Election through the YouTube channel on Sunday 11 February.

According to him, the film, directed by Dandhy Dwi Laksono, cannot be called a documentary. The reason, he said, was that the main content in the two-hour broadcast was footage of the news and response from three legal experts.

"The three experts commented on various things that happened from various reports, then they gave opinions. Yes, this opinion can be interpreted by many people, including the possibility of cheating in the 2024 General Election," said Yusril in his statement, Tuesday, February 13.

The professor of constitutional law also highlighted the time for the release of Dirty Vote. He considered the film propaganda because it was launched a few days before the day of the election.

Some say this is 'Dirty Vote' versus 'Dirty Propaganda'. One film title says about dirty elections, the other is about dirty propaganda against certain parties who come from across from the filmmaker, "said Yusril.

Furthermore, Yusril responded to changes in the attitude of the vice presidential candidate number 2 Gibran Rakabuming Raka who was in the spotlight in the Dirty Vote.

According to him, politics is dynamic in nature. So it is very natural for someone who initially admitted that they were not interested in politics, he continued, then joined the democratic party.

"I see that it's actually normal. We can also say that politics is dynamic. Maybe one time the president's son was not interested in politics, but now he could change and be interested in entering politics," said Yusril.

Regarding the issues raised in films, such as allegations of inequality between organizers and state officials in the implementation of the 2024 General Election, it is not only addressed to the Prabowo-Gibran pair alone. He added that the candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD was another party accused of cheating.

Unfortunately, said Yusril, only a few broadcasts showed the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar pair.

"So it's only natural for people to wonder who this sponsorship film is, who brings a certain candidate pair message or not," said Yusril.

Despite considering Dirty Vote tendentsius, the former Minister of Law and Human Rights for the 2001-2004 period said that the film was part of the freedom of expression.

"We respect the screening of this film as freedom of expression. People with different opinions are normal. If the three academics who appear in the show criticize the election, after all, people can also criticize the views they convey," he said.

Yusril also reminded the public not to be divided after watching the film. The reason is, differences of opinion and choice are commonplace, so they must be handled wisely.

"Hopefully the wider community will think clearly and objectively and judge that elections will not be 100% ideal as we expected. The possibility of shortcomings here and there will be, we cannot avoid. But the most important thing is that elections are truly honest and fair as mandated by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and the Election Law can be implemented as well as possible," he said.