If You Want An Election That Has A Quality Of Voters, You Must Also Be Rational And Critical

Illustration - If it is increasingly critical, the higher the level of voter maturity in determining its choice, so that the quality of the election results will be better. (Between/Darwin Fatir)

JAKARTA The people certainly hope that the 2024 General Election can present quality and integrity figures who can bring Indonesia to realize its goals. Protect the entire Indonesian nation and all of Indonesia's bloodshed, advance public welfare, educate the nation's life, and participate in implementing world order based on independence, lasting peace, and social justice.

Apart from political parties, another related factor that is no less important is the people themselves as voters. Muhadam Labolo and Teguh Ilham in the book 'Political Party and General Election System in Indonesia' The first thing that needs to be ensured is the level of voter ability to see, observe, and choose candidates with quality and integrity.

Voters must be selective, able to distinguish between candidates who only make promises and candidates who really work for the people, especially the systems implemented are direct elections.

The current problem, according to Muhadam and Teguh, is that voters in Indonesia cannot be said to be critical and rational. Maybe because the available options do not have clear differentiation regarding the ideology and work programs carried out by each candidate.

So far, what we have noticed is that each candidate tends to be uniform in using the tactics of gaining as many votes as possible, namely by forming a coalition with a party that has different ideologies. The pragmatic attitude they show is predictable, namely to get as much vote support as possible from all voters," he said.

Rational voters, according to Muhadam and Teguh, are voters who have a high orientation on policy-problem solving. This type of voter does not really look at which party a candidate comes from, which is important to what extent the work program of a political party or prospective contestant can benefit him. Rational voters tend not to consider the orientation of the party ideology.

While critical voters are voters who combine party performance orientation with ideological orientation. Apart from seeing the ability of a political party or a contestant in solving the nation's problems, this type of voter also considers the suitability of party ideology with his ideology.

Instead, said Muhadam and Teguh, the majority of voters in Indonesia are traditional voters and skeptical voters.

Traditional voters have very strong considerations in terms of ideology. The high level of fanaticism tends to make voters of this type no longer pay attention to programs or performances of political candidates or parties. The considerations lead to a close social-culture, value, origin, and religion.

Meanwhile, skeptical voters are voters who do not have a fairly high ideological orientation with a political party or a candidate. Nor does it make policy or work program important. Voters of this type tend only to make election events a formality or just an obligation denominator.

Maybe because they don't get information or maybe they are confused because there is not a single program or ideology that suits their choice. Or, they don't care because they think politics is just a tool of power and reap profits.

That's why, said Muhadam and Teguh, 'If the tactics of embracing all groups remain in use and the work program of each candidate is also the same, equally abstract, it will be certain that the majority of Indonesian voters are skeptical voters.'

However, if election participants have a clear, measurable, and of course different work program from other participants, then the possibility of the majority of voters who will appear later is the rational voter type.

Voters as the main determinant of the election results must have a high critical power for the available candidates. Voters must be able to evaluate objectively, which political party or candidate is the most suitable and needed by them. That way, the quality of the election results will be better too," he said.

His simple critical attitude can be obtained by increasing literacy. Finding out the information and track records of the candidates, especially the candidates to be selected. Not only presidential and vice presidential candidates, but also legislative candidates. Thus, voters can better understand what programs are suitable for them.