Intellectuals, Data And Public Interests

Photo Illustration Andry Winarko

JAKARTA - The three presidential candidates in 2024, Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan and Prabowo Subianto have completed the three presidential candidates debate held by the General Election Commission (KPU RI) on Sunday, (7/1).

Based on the poll held by RITbang Kompas on January 7 at 19.30-20.00 WIB, the majority of the spectators were satisfied with the appearance of the three candidates for the 2024 presidential candidate in the third debate. The poll was attended by 200 respondents spread across each province using the interview method. The confidence level is 95 percent with a margin of error of approximately 6.76 percent in a simple random sampling condition.

According to the results of the Kompas R&D, the presidential candidate from serial number two received the smallest score of 6.9. The highest score is in the presidential candidate number three with a score of 7.8, while the presidential candidate number one gets a score of 7.2.

From the related assessment, answering questions correctly and straightforwardly, Ganjar and Anies both got a score of 7.4. Meanwhile, Prabowo is in the last position with a figure of 6.9 percent

Director of Research Trust Indonesia, Ahmad Fadli said that Prabowo Subianto should not have to look emotional with the questions raised by Ganjar and Anies.

"Regarding the challenges of the data complaint that Ganjar said, if Pak Prabowo is not emotional, of course he can casually answer the challenges from Ganjar. After all, the challenge is part of his job as defense minister (Menhan), right," said Ahmad Fadli to VOI, Tuesday, January 9.

Fadli said Prabowo's unpreparedness in the third debate was clear. This bespectacled man also mentioned Prabowo as if he never wanted to learn from every debate process he had gone through.

"Pak Prabowo seems to never want to learn from some of the debate processes he has gone through. Pak Prabowo believes in the data provided by his intelligence team rather than his team of experts. As a result, when he was attacked by Anies a little, he didn't seem ready to answer," said Ahmad Fadli.

This has not been added to Prabowo's impression of tension that he cannot answer straightforwardly regarding the defense equipment data in his ministry. This tense attitude creates its own perspective for public assessment.

The tension came because Prabowo had the data covered up. Prabowo should have conveyed the highlights. Prabowo often mentions the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, who did not pass (budget) related to our defense equipment," he said.

"Looking at the presidential candidate debate, it should be like we are looking at the world cup finals. The debate of the candidate for head of state must have an intellectual side, completeness of data combined with a little brutality if necessary. The country's leader must have great guts and diplomacy above average," he added.

Fadli said how far the appearance of the candidates will bring electoral benefits. According to the study, the debate did not have much impact on the transfer of votes. Debates further strengthen constituent support for those he had championed from the start.

Between Negative Champaign and Black Campaign

Presidential Candidate with serial number one, Anies Baswedan in the third debate seemed to be a new figure. Anies turned into a smart and cruel figure when demonstrating the negative campaign against Prabowo as Minister of Defense. Black Campaign and Champaign negativities certainly have their own meaning.

Black campaign is a campaign model by creating issues or gossip aimed at the opponent, without the support of clear facts or evidence (fitnah). While the negative campaign conveys the poor or negative side of a candidate, even though the fact is, there is no punishment.

"Create a negative campaign with a black campaign. When Prabowo mentions that Anies' data is all wrong, Prabowo wants to lock up the public's perception that Anies is playing a black campaign," said Ahmad Fadli.

"But because it was limited to denying, without presenting counter data, Prabowo's assessment became groundless. Moreover, when Googled, the numbers and illustrations of "ordal" that Anies gave turned out to be easily confirmed," he said.

Anies is increasingly successful in showing his distinguishing position that he is an oposant, and a pioneer of change. Ganjar is indeed standing in the middle. But anyone can predict: If Ganjar had not passed the second round of the presidential election, where would he go?

The Three Presidential Candidates Are Not Consistent In Vision-Misi

The vision and mission presented by the three presidential candidates in the Third Debate of the 2024 Presidential Candidate held by the KPU is considered quite good. Unfortunately, the statements of the vision and mission of the presidential candidates were not followed by how to make it happen.

Researcher and Head of the Department of International Relations Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Lina Alexandra said the answers given by the presidential candidates were inconsistent.

In delivering the vision and mission related to international relations, presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan emphasized the importance of Indonesia being present to determine the direction of peace and prosperity for the entire nation, and make culture a nation's strength in the international arena.

Presidential Candidate number 2 Prabowo Subianto emphasized that he would continue active free political policies and carry out neighboring politics well by establishing good relations with other countries.

Meanwhile, presidential candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo emphasized the importance of redefining active free politics that is in line with current conditions in order to adapt it to the interests of the nation. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening diplomacy infrastructure and loyalty to agreements on decolonization by helping to free all nations without intervening with one another.

Lina gave an example of Ganjar's presidential candidate's answer to the definition of active free politics which was then not specified through the strategy to be taken.

"That was a statement at the beginning, yes. But then in answering questions, I don't think it's too visible how the strategy to redefinition active free politics is," Lina said, quoted by VOI from the CSIS Youtube account, Tuesday, January 9.

Lina also mentioned Anies' mistake in the issue of conflict in South China. Anies answered the need to encourage the role of ASEAN in resolving the South China Sea and make Indonesia the leader of ASEAN, Lina considered a fairly standard or normative answer. This woman reasoned that the former governor of DKI did not clearly explain how Indonesia could become the leader of ASEAN and solve the issue of South China.

For the presidential candidate with serial number 2, Lina said, the answers given by Prabowo Subianto were full of provocative nuances. "For example, when asked about the strategy to strengthen South-South cooperation. He immediately said that Indonesia must be the leader of all countries and that other countries respect Indonesia, and so on," he said.

ASEAN Is An Indonesian Sokoguru

The role of ASEAN as a buffer pole from Indonesian foreign politics is written in the ASEAN Charter and strengthened in Law Number 38 of 2008 concerning the Ratification of the ASEAN Charter.

International relations observer from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Shafiah Muhibat, also regretted that the three presidential candidates did not explore ASEAN's role further and emphasized whether Indonesia would become the leader of ASEAN or remain as it is today.

In Law No. 38/2018 it is explained that Indonesia has a strategic interest in ASEAN to strengthen Indonesia's position in the region and achieve maximum national interests in various fields, especially in the fields of politics and security, economy, and socio-cultural.

"ASEAN should be an important instrument for Indonesia, but very few ASEAN were mentioned during yesterday's presidential candidate debate and were barely referred to as Indonesian foreign political instruments or modalities," he said.