The Phenomenon Of The Empty Box Wins The 2024 Regional Head Election, Commission II Of The DPR: Absurd And State Rugikan

Illustration. Residents queue enthusiastically to channel their political rights to the 2019 Election voting at TPS 06, Timika Jaya Village, Papua, Wednesday, March 17, 2019. (ANTARA PHOTO-Speedy Paereng)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission II of the DPR Ahmad Irawan highlighted the phenomenon of winning empty boxes and gubernatorial goals in the 2024 Pilkada. According to him, the simultaneous regional head elections in 37 provinces and 508 districts/cities experienced unreasonable anomalies.

"The existence of an empty box phenomenon, especially an empty box that then won in the election is an anomaly and does not make sense (absurd). Winning an empty box is a socio-political dynamic that must be observed," said Ahmad Irawan, Monday, December 2.

According to him, the phenomenon of winning empty boxes has the potential to harm the country. Supposedly, he said, if the people want alternative leadership, then the movement must exist from the nomination process.

"After all, there is an individual mechanism (independent) if you can't afford it and don't want a candidate promoted by a political party. The aspiration for alternative leadership should not only be during the voting day process, but can also start from the beginning in the nomination process. Finally, the potential for the state is also harmed because there must be another fee for re-election," said Irawan.

Irawan then highlighted how the two regional elections in Bangka Belitung Province (Babel) were defeated by empty boxes even though it was only a fast count version. Where the candidate pair Maulan Aklil (Mole) and Masagus M Hakim who are candidates for Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Pangkalpinang lost badly to the empty box which won 48,528 votes or 57.98 percent. The incumbent candidate only received 35,177 votes or 41 percent.

Meanwhile, the pair of regents-deputy regents of Bangka, Mulkan-Ramadian, only managed to get 50,443 votes or 42.75 percent, so that the incumbent candidate pair temporarily lost to the empty box that was superior with the acquisition of 57.25 percent. Irawan admitted that he regretted this phenomenon.

"I myself think that those who are elected and entitled to be elected at the polling stations and in the ballot are those who have followed the nomination process," said Irawan.

Furthermore, the legislator from the East Java V electoral district explained that the right to vote and the right to be candidate is a constitutional right and is a manifestation of equality and participation in law and government (equality before the law).

"Regarding the right to be elected in regional head elections, the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD NRI 1945) has provided a constitutional way to be nominated through individual channels (independents) or through the path of political parties," he explained.

Irawan assessed that the existence of individual candidates is a new reality and has raised constitutional awareness about the opportunity for individuals to be directly elected by the people in the regional elections.

"Because political parties are also burdened with minimum seat support requirements in the DPRD or a certain minimum number of votes to propose a candidate pair," said Irawan.

According to Irawan, many regions for the 2024 Pilkada use the form of support for political parties based on the number of votes acquired by political parties because it is easier, not seats in the DPRD.

"Why do you need support requirements? So that citizens who run in the election are serious in participating in the regional head election process," said the member of the council who also served in the Legislation Body (Baleg).

Irawan added that the requirement for support is also an effort to maintain the people's values and trust in the process of regional head elections and democracy. Otherwise, people's trust in the democratic system will decrease, as well as there is also a tendency and potential to be dealt with irresponsiblely.

"So in my opinion, the State has actually made it easy to run for regional head/deputy regional head (Governor/Regent/Mayor)," said Irawan.