Golput Movement Should Not Be Criminalized, This Is The Reason

Participants participated in the 2024 Election Order in Bekasi, West Java, Sunday (19/11/2023). (ANTARA PHOTO)

JAKARTA - Teacher of Election Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, Titi Anggraini said, the goal movement, whether inviting abstain or voting for all candidates, should not be criminalized.

"From the legal side of the election, the goal movement, whether inviting abstention or voting for all candidates, is a political expression that should not be criminalized," Titi said in a webinar that was followed online from Jakarta, Monday.

Titi explained that choosing or not choosing is the free will of every citizen, as long as it is based on full awareness and understanding.

"The punishment for the gubernatorial movement can only be done if it is accompanied by money politics or by using violence, threats of violence, and hindering someone who will do their right to vote," he said.

According to Titi, the gubernatorial movement is indeed a challenge for political parties, candidate pairs, and election organizers. This needs to be responded to substantively through the critical discourse of ideas and programs.

In addition, he said, it is also necessary to ensure that regional head elections are not only a periodic agenda, but also purely based on the principles of free and fair elections.

"So, instead of threatening punishment for critical movements of residents, it is better for all of us to work hard to present narratives that are truly politically oriented towards ideas and programs, and convince the public that this is indeed not a trick election," said Titi.

On the other hand, Titi appreciated the Constitutional Court Decision Number 69/PUU-XXII/2024 which allowed campaigns in universities. According to him, the KPU can collaborate with campuses to optimize public debate between candidate pairs of regional heads.

He considered that the decision should be an instrument to strengthen the politics of ideas and present more substantial dialects in the 2024 Pilkada.

"So that we are not trapped in the coercion of citizens to exercise their right to vote, while the citizens themselves are not convinced that this is a regional election that is trulygenuine (original), authentic, free, and fair. This is a reflection for all of us," he said.