Media Supervision Required in the Implementation of Regional Head Elections

Semarang – Acting Governor of Central Java, Nana Sudjana, invited the press to be actively involved in the process of supervising the upcoming simultaneous Pilkada.

“We hope that the press will help ensure that the Pilkada can run safely and conducively,” he said.

Media supervision plays an important role in ensuring that the 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) run safely, conducively, and democratically. Several government figures and election supervisors in Indonesia emphasized the importance of the role of the media in supervising the general election, as well as in providing neutral information to the public.

Nana emphasized that the media has a responsibility to socialize voting rights to the public, especially in encouraging millennial and Gen Z voters, which according to data from the Central Java General Election Commission (KPU) are around 53% of the total permanent voters in the province.

“So if we count the millennial and Gen Z generations, there are around 53% of voters. They have been familiar with online media,” added Nana.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) of West Papua Province, Farli Sampetoding Rego, stated that the media also plays a role in handling potential violations during the Pilkada. In an activity held in Sorong City, he invited the media to participate in monitoring campaign violations and reporting any findings to Bawaslu.

“These media friends have the right to cover every agenda related to the Pilkada. If violations are found, the media has the right to make it into news and report it to Bawaslu,” said Farli.

Farli hopes that the role of the media can help Bawaslu in controlling various aspects of the implementation of the Pilkada, such as the campaign and election logistics. With the active involvement of the media, it is hoped that the potential for fraud can be minimized, as well as encouraging an honest and fair election atmosphere.

“We hope for the participation of the press, so that the Pilkada runs safely and smoothly, without any fraud or violations,” he concluded.

The media collaboration aims to strengthen understanding of the importance of positive journalism in supporting the 2024 Pilkada. This initiative also encourages cooperation with pentahelix elements to strengthen stability and unity during the Pilkada process so that it continues to be conducive and transparent.

Media activists are expected to prioritize positive journalism and play an active role in fighting hoaxes and hate speech that often appear during the campaign period. This step is very important to build a Pilkada climate so that it remains peaceful and free from division.

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