As the 2024 presidential race gets closer, Indonesia faces a very important problem. Leaders have promised not to make religion a political issue, but the problem is still very strong, especially among young people, who make up a big part of the voters.
Presidential Race: Verbal promises and political realities lead to mixed commitments.
Some political parties and President Joko Widodo have said they will stay out of identity politics. But deeds often speak louder than words. The situation is complicated because religion affects voters’ beliefs in a lot of ways, which makes it hard for leaders to ignore its impact.
Presidential Race: Why identity politics are appealing in close elections
In the heated competition of elections, politicians may use faith stories that exclude others to get people to vote for them. This short-cut turns complicated problems into binary choices, like halal vs. haram or Islamic vs. non-Islamic, which makes politics more divided. For example, the Ummat Party says that they will keep using identity politics in 2024 and that politics and faith cannot be separated.
Presidential Race: The Part Social Media Plays in Polarisation
People in society, especially on social media, can spread religious themes, which can make people more divided. Labels have a lot of power over public opinion, as shown by the Buni Yani case, where a popular video caused a public uproar that led to jail time. When religious feelings are added to the mix, netizens get angry, which affects the political decisions they make.
The Youth Factor: An Important Group for Political Campaigns
Politicians are working hard to get young people to vote because they know they have a lot of power. Concerning trends have been found in research that shows a lot of religious intolerance among young people; almost a third of them agree with these views.
Presidential Race: Bawaslu’s Important Role in the Call for Intervention
The Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and other watching groups need to take action to deal with the dangers of making religion a political issue. Bawaslu should step in to protect democracy as much as possible and avoid possible clashes.
Getting religious leaders involve: a preventative method
To stop this from happening, Bawaslu should work with faith leaders from different groups. People can learn more about how dangerous it is for election campaigns to use religion for political purposes. Running campaigns in schools, colleges, youth groups, and on social media. Small but important steps can help change the deeply rooted and identity-driven political society.
Finally, as Indonesia gets ready for the 2024 elections. It needs to make stopping the politicisation of religion a top priority. It is important for leaders, political parties, and organisations like Bawaslu to work together. It’s to make sure that identity politics don’t get in the way of a democratic process. That values policies and leadership traits. It’s time for a good change that will bring people together and help Indonesia move forward.
