For first-time voters, the 2024 election is a significant milestone as they step into choosing leaders for both the executive and legislative branches.
Among young voters, particularly students, there’s a strong desire for the elected leaders to prioritize affordable education and create abundant job opportunities.
Linda Kristiani Sianturi, a law student, expressed that, at 19 years old, this election is her inaugural chance to exercise her voting rights. She diligently follows the presidential and vice-presidential debates aired by national media.
However, she admitted to struggling to keep up with the campaign updates of legislative candidates due to less coverage than the presidential election.
“For the legislative election, student interest tends to wane. The spotlight is more on the presidential race. Yet, the role of legislative members is pivotal in shaping policies that directly affect the populace, such as crafting laws and overseeing the government, including tax,” Sianturi remarked during the Pojok Bulaksumur discussion titled “Evaluating Presidential & Legislative Candidate Programs from the Perspective of Young Voters” on Thursday (Jan. 25) at the UGM Central Building.
Regarding the aspirations of young voters for executive and legislative leaders, Sianturi advocated for affordable education programs accessible to all.
“We aspire for affordable education so that individuals from all social strata can access it. I’ve encountered friends from junior high school who lamented their inability to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. Their parents’ occupations couldn’t cover college expenses,” she shared, echoing her friend’s plight.
Furthermore, Sianturi proposed that the government prioritize creating new job opportunities as many young people struggle to secure employment. She noted the daunting challenge many recent graduates encounter in finding suitable jobs.
“Even when vacancies are available, most require 2 to 5 years of prior experience. How can fresh graduates navigate the job market under such conditions?” she added.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Laksito Lintang (22), a philosophy student at UGM, who urged that executive and legislative leaders consider students’ aspirations.
“As a student, I suggest implementing free education programs and facilitating job access for graduates with active organizational experience or internships,” he proposed.
Alfath Bagus Panuntun El Nur, a lecturer at the Department of Politics and Government, UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, highlighted that in the 2024 election, public attention was predominantly focused on the presidential race rather than the legislative contest.
“This presents a challenge for us to allocate more proportional coverage to the legislative election so that voters can familiarize themselves with the track records of candidates, both incumbents and newcomers. Additionally, young candidates in the legislative race often hail from families entrenched in politics or possess existing capital,” he concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto