In
the politics atmosphere, democracy is a means for choosing a leader pointed to
its majority votes from the people. The government that is made by the people
and for the people, the state of authority is conducted by the elected
representatives that have been convinced by the people, that all wills and
interests will be considered in the implementation of a state power (Hans
Kelsen). People have a full right to choose who the best to be a leader is and
it cannot be denied that the government of the people, by the people, and for
the people (Abraham Lincoln: 1863). Nowadays, to be a leader in a democratic
country is not a difficult stuff as long as the people around have known who he
or she is because the authority is on the people’s hands.
At
this present time, mainly for the democratic country like Indonesia, sometimes
too many parties make the people confused and mostly they do not really know
their vision and mission. On 9th April 2014, Indonesia had just
conducted a legislative election. There were fifteen candidates that had been
listed, however, not all candidates are known by the people well. Anwar Arifin,
as a political communication expert, voices that there is a discrenpancy
between the people and the legislative candidates, so the effect is that people
do not know well who the candidates are, based on http://www.beritasatu.com/nasional/174510-ada-kesenjangan-antara-masyarakat-dengan-caleg.html. as the result,
the people will not use their votes or
it is called as “golput”. Golput also has a meaning of someone who deliberately
chooses more than one candidate or possibly all candidates are chosen, so that
it will be said as “invalid” at the poll. Simply, golput is non-participant. In
Indonesia, golput itself has increased constantly every five years of election.
It can be seen in 1999, golput reached around 10.21%, then in 2004, it reached
around 23.34%, then the latest legislative election, golput reached around
29.01% in 2009, data taken from http://politik.kompasiana.com/2014/04/11/kenapa-golput-menang-di-pemilu-2014-646182.html.
Rully Akbar, as an Indonesian Survey Circle Supervisor, predicts that the
possibility of golput’s enhancement will reach around 34% this year. In this
case, therefore, the exclusion of society in using their vote must be
accompanied by some excuses and these are the reason why people do not use
their vote or choose golput at the poll.
Less
socialization from the government to the remote places can be the main factor
why people choose golput. The technology in Indonesia has not been prevalent,
particularly in the remote places that are difficult to be exposed. Here, the
role of government in sharing the information relatated to the election is very
necessary. Many villagers who are not exposed, they even do not know when and
where the elction is going to be. Thus, this must be a problem that they may
not use their votes to choose the cadidate. Just like in bengkulu, the election
commision (KPU), held the socialization through a leisurely stroll that was
followed by many people as the prize is a cow. Wijaya, as the election
commision member, voices that this is carried out in order to make the
effective way of socialization that not all people, mainly for those who live
remoted, can access the information through media. Thus, this event is purposed
to minimize the percentage of golput, based on http://sosbud.kompasiana.com/2014/02/28/di-bengkulu-sosialisasi-pileg-berhadiah-sapi-636174.html. The
idea of this socialization must have a good appreciation through public because
it can be assumed that they may not choose golput. Not only the way to choose
correctly, but it should be also the way the people, mainly villagers, think
about the election. It can be seen that for those who are not educated well,
mostly the do not know the importance of voting. Their minds have not realized
that the future of the nation depends on who they choose. Thus, the
socialization is not only to give the way to choose correctly but it also gives
the people knowledge on what importance of election is. Moreover, this case
will be greater that the event reaches the elderly too. To the elderly, it is
very significant that they should know their votes and how to use it. It means
that their votes will also influence the process of voting at the poll. When
they do not use their votes, it may be pitied that their rights will be abused.
It can be revealed that when they do not come at the poll for voting, the
invitation will be no use, this opportunity may give the concerned committees
to cheat. It will be used for choosing the candidate that they support in a
malicious way by using the unused letters for their personal interests. To the
elderly, although the voting is invalid, but at least they come and use their
rights to choose the candidate to prevent the abuse. However, this lack of
elderly’s knowledge about this can be overcome by deputizing a trusted
relative, it can be daughter or son, to choose the candidate that is wanted. So
the importance of socialization is very significant to determine the fate of
the nation. By covering all the remote places that are difficult to be reached,
it will reduce the percentage of golput in Indonesia, moreover, by minimizing
the number of non-participant, the election will be more successful.
After
the role of socialization on how importance and the way to choose, another
thing which is necessary is that the role of candidates. In Indonesia, there
are many candidates of legislatives that may be less familiar to the people or
society. This can be proven from the survey of Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS), only 20% people know their legislative
candidates. This statement can be seen in Balikpapan, Endang, as the resident
of Balikpapan, she remarks that many of the candidates we do not know well,
because they never introduce themselves in our place. The same thing is also
voiced by Budianto, he says that he only knows the candidate of the Balikpapan
Council, however, the provincial legislature, the House of Representative, he
does not know. If it is only done through the election commision’s site, this
cannot work well, data taken from http://www.balikpapanpos.co.id/index.php?mib=berita.detail&id=121113. From
the infromation above, the role of candidates’ direct socialization is needed
in order to familiarize the citizens. From Budianto’s remarks, it can be
revealed that knowing the candidates through website is less useful because not
all people there can use internet. However, it will be more memorable if the
candidates directly visit to their citizens, socialize themselves through oral
speech and actions. The citizens may feel more respected because the candidates
disposes to use their time for oration. By
doing so, the vision and mission of each candidate can be clearly delivered
through the people. The similar case is also voiced by Reno, he states that
doing socialization directly to the society is more valuable than attaching
banners at the side of the street. Here, many candidates also promote
themselves through banner or billboard, based on what Reno remarks, it is less
beneficial because many of the society judge them through their faces and
degrees. Moreover, attaching banners or billboard a long the street will make
the users feel annoyed and it is bothering the view. However, when the
candidates do oration directly, people will see the truth that they really hear
what the candidates are going to do with their vision and mission. Thus, doing
a direct introduction to the society is more impressive than via site or billboard
or banner, because there are so many canidates that they cannot be memorized
one by one both their names and vision and mission that they promote. By doing
the direct oral speech, it will reduce the less familiarity of the society and
this will be memorable. Then, the society’s votes can be predicted that they
will choose the candidate whom they know.
The
other problem is that if it is seen by metropolis point of view. The citizens
of metropolis, mostly, are busy people with a solid job. They only have a
holiday on Sunday or on a red letter day. However, for people who work in a
private company, they may have a holiday only on Sunday. It means that if the
election is run on the day except Sunday, the people who work in a private
company may have no opportunity to use their votes. Just like what is delivered
by Umang Sumarsono, as the volunteer of democracy of marginal segment, voices
that the workers of eyelash factory is still far from the understanding of the
importance of using their rights to vote. The ignorance of tens thousands of
employees can increase the number of golput in Indonesia. Their busy time and
long working hours make them unable to listen, read and watch the information
about legislative election through the media, because mostly, they spend more
time in a factory, based on http://www.purbalingganews.net/index.php/purbalingga-news/594-karyawan-pabrik-bingung-cara-mencoblos. From
Sumarsono’s remarks, it can be imagined that thousands of workers cannot use
their right at the poll. In this case, the role of the Indonesian Government is
necessary to free their rights by dismissing all workers without exception. The
same thing is also voiced by Nurjaman Center that specially for the workers who
work abroad, the Indonesian Government should cooperate the Embassy to ask
permission to the school or company so that the voters can use their voting
rights. When the government seccessfully figures it out, then the large amount
of workers can use their right and it
will give a big influence in enlivening the democratic party. Therefore, time
management should be considered for the workers both who work fully in a
company and also abroad because whatever it is, they also have a right to vote.
The
last one and also the particular stuff is that people have been apathetic. For
those people who have been so, usually they are hurt and disappointed with the
leaders. The real fact is that many of the candidates are just offering the
fake promises. Ensuring the society about what they are going to do with the
lucrative promises sometimes makes the people seduced. However, after the
candidates become the leaders, their promises faded. As an example of the real
fact can be seen on Refli’s statement that many people or society use their
conscience to judge the vision and mission of the candidates, when the
conscience says no to candidates to be elected because no one is deserved to be
so, then people realize that it does not make any change and they do not use
their votes or golput, based on http://www.tempo.co/read/news/2012/07/08/228415500/3-Penyebab-Kemungkinan-Pemilih-Golput. It
makes sense that apathetical people tend to analyze further whether the
candidates have the ability to lead or not, pointed by their vision and
mission, speech and their promises. Sometimes, apathetical people come from the
intellect who are critical in analyzing anything related to the politics. But,
it does not mean that the common people are less critical. However, the
candidates cannot blame the apathetical people too. It means that golput is
also a choice, when the people think that there is no an appropriate leader to
choose, then they use their votes not to choose. It also states by Prof. Bagir
Manan, he groups the human right to be some categories and one of them is a
political right where the people have a right to choose and to be chosen. When
the people have a right to choose, then they also have a right not to choose.
The principal democratic is a free election, (Sukarna: 1981). Democratic is a
free election, it means that people have a freedom to choose and when their
pure hearts or consciences say no to choose due to no appropriate leader to be chosen.
Then, it is better not to choose than choosing a leader but it does not come
from their consciences or feel compelled, unlike an obligation, a right is not
a must which must be done. Simply, this case can be overcome by ensuring the
people more. However, it is not easy and needs long process. However, when the
candidtaes can figure it out in healing their disappointment, it may change the
reality. Although it does not require a short time, but as long as there is a
genuine leader or candidate, it can cure the people over time.
Thus,
the role of the government in doing more socialization to the common
society, conducting the time management
and also asking permission to the private institutions with no exception for
the busy people, including for those who work in abroad so that they can use
their votes, are the attempts to reduce golput in Indonesia. However, it also
cannot be done by the government itself, the role of candidates also has a
greater influence in promoting themselves to the direct places that makes more
memorable to the society, including informing their vision and mission and the
future prospects. Then, the ability of the candidates in healing or curing the
apathetical people is the most principal thing in enlivening the democratic
party. So, by doing all of these, the golput voters can be overcome in
Indonesia.
