Instances of vote-buying often mar the period leading up to elections and on voting day itself. Due to limited supervision by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) caused by human resource constraints, monitoring these activities poses a significant challenge.
Hence, it’s necessary for society to actively engage in monitoring potential vote-buying or other electoral transgressions.
This crucial topic headlined a media discussion titled “The Real Role of Campuses in Determining the Fate of Indonesian Democracy” held on Wednesday (Feb. 7) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Organized by the faculty’s Election Corner team, the discussion welcomed Dr. Abdul Gaffar Karim, a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government; Muhammad Najib, Chair of the Yogyakarta Election Supervisory Agency; and Ibah Muthiah, a member of the Yogyakarta General Election Commission.
Muhammad Najib acknowledged Bawaslu’s inability to monitor all electoral infractions fully due to a shortage of supervisory personnel. Consequently, he emphasized the pivotal role of society in monitoring and reporting electoral fraud practices to Bawaslu.
“Collaborating with the public enables us to identify, prevent, and address potential violations,” Najib stressed.
Effective monitoring, Najib emphasized, could significantly reduce opportunities for candidates or campaign teams to engage in violations. He also underscored the importance of youth involvement in upholding electoral integrity, particularly students.
“Young people, especially students, play a vital role in upholding democratic values and reporting irregularities,” he asserted.
Ibah Muthiah from the Yogyakarta General Election Commission underscored the need for stringent oversight across the 11,932 polling stations in her region to curb violations during voting and vote counting.
On a similar note, Dr. Abdul Gaffar Karim highlighted the vulnerability of vote-buying, particularly during the morning of election day. Despite the inherent challenges in monitoring such activities, he stressed the importance of rigorous oversight during voting and vote counting at each polling station.
“Vote-buying tends to occur in the morning,” Dr. Karim noted.
The lecturer also noted the complexities in curbing vote-buying practices despite stringent legal regulations, suggesting that political education might yield more effective results.
“Research indicates that effectiveness is more likely through political education rather than relying solely on legal frameworks,” he remarked.
Author: Gusti Grehenson