The pulse of democracy beats stronger as Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) opens its doors for students to register as independent election supervisors at special Polling Stations (TPS) on UGM premises.
This initiative is a proactive step to fortify the integrity of the upcoming presidential election in February.
Dr. Arie Sujito, UGM Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, emphasized that inviting students to register as election supervisors at UGM’s TPS is a tangible commitment to fostering political education.
Through active participation in election management, students learn and actively contribute to ensuring the democratic and accountable conduct of elections.
“Registration for election supervisors at UGM’s TPS is a dynamic learning experience and a crucial political involvement opportunity for students. It empowers them to become part of the election process, ensuring that elections run democratically and accountably,” explained Dr. Sujito on Thursday (Jan. 11) at UGM.
He highlighted that UGM, recognizing its role in shaping responsible citizens, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) for the election monitoring program.
This collaboration underscores UGM’s commitment to providing a platform for students to engage in political education through active involvement in electoral processes.
Moreover, Dr. Sujito mentioned that UGM has strategically designated special TPS for students arriving from locations outside Yogyakarta.
Across UGM, nine special TPS have been established to accommodate students from UGM and other universities, allowing them to exercise their voting rights seamlessly in the 2024 elections.
“UGM has set up nine special TPS with an inclusive approach. These stations cater not only to UGM students but also to students from various campuses in Yogyakarta,” he explained.
Dr. Hempri Suyatna, the Secretary of the UGM Directorate of Student Affairs, detailed the distribution of these special TPS across five locations at UGM.
Two TPS are located at Ratnaningsih Kinanti 1 Residence, two at Ratnaningsih Kinanti 2 and 3 Residences, two at Ratnaningsih Sendowo Residence, two at Darmaputra Santren Residence, and one at Darmaputra Karang Gayam Residence.
Two thousand six hundred eleven prospective student voters are registered to cast their votes at UGM’s special TPS.
“To ensure the seamless voting process at UGM’s special TPS, we invite student registrations for election supervisors,” Dr. Suyatna conveyed.
The registration period spans from Jan. 10 to 24, 2024. Prospective student election supervisors must meet specific criteria, including active enrollment as a UGM student (undergraduate and postgraduate), Indonesian citizenship, a preferred residence in proximity to the UGM campus, and inclusion in the voter list in the Yogyakarta region, preferably registered in Sleman Regency, Bantul, or Yogyakarta City.
In addition, eligible students must not be affiliated with political party-related organizations or campus extracurricular groups, should not be registered as other TPS supervisors, and must possess integrity, honesty, and fairness.
Physical and mental health, a drug-free status, and the ability to articulate an essay on the theme of realizing honest and fair elections are also requisites.
“There will be four supervisors at each TPS,” Dr. Suyatna concluded.
Author: Ika