2024-09-19 07:51:29
Titi Anggraini on golput or the movement to vote for all candidates. Photo: Ricardo/jpnn.com
jpnn.com – Lecturer in Election Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, Titi Anggraini, said that people who voice the golput movement, whether they are inviting people to abstain or vote for all candidates, should not be criminalized.
This movement recently emerged, one of which was ahead of the Jakarta gubernatorial election.
“From the electoral law perspective, the golput movement, whether it is inviting people to abstain or vote for all candidates, is a political expression that should not be criminalized,” said Titi in a webinar that was followed online from Jakarta, Monday (15/9/2024).
According to Titi, choosing or not choosing is the free will of every citizen, as long as it is based on full awareness and understanding.
“Criminalization of the golput movement can only be carried out if it is accompanied by money politics or by using violence, threats of violence, and obstructing someone who will exercise their right to vote,” he said.
Titi assessed that the golput movement is indeed a challenge for political parties, candidate pairs, and election organizers. It needs to be responded to substantively through critical discourse of ideas and programs.
In addition, it is also necessary to ensure that regional head elections are not just a periodic agenda, but are also purely held based on the principles of free and fair elections.
“So, instead of threatening criminalization of critical citizen movements, it would be better for all of us to work hard to present a narrative that is truly oriented towards the politics of ideas and programs, and to convince the public that this is not a trick election,” said Titi.
Lecturer in Election Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, Titi Anggraini, said that the movement to vote for all candidates or golput should not be criminalized.