VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

On Wednesday, June 27, 2018, 11 provinces, 115 districts and 39 cities are about to hold simultaneous Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) across Indonesia. According to the General Elections Commission -KPU, up to now the preparation of the elections has been good enough. Even, Chairman of the Commission, Arief Budiman affirmed that 2 days ago, there were no reports related to interference that might hamper the plan of this grand democratic activity.

To prepare for smooth, safe and neutral elections, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Wiranto has held a coordination meeting which was attended by the Chairman of the General Elections Commission, the Chairman of the Election Supervisory Board, the TNI Commander and the Police Chief a few days ago.

Although all the preparations for the implementation, including security have been carried out, Indonesian people and the government should not be negligent. All related stakeholders must remain vigilant to take care of the implementation of simultaneous Regional Head Election.

It is not impossible that a recent court verdict over Aman Abdurrahman, the leader of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah -JAD affiliated with ISIS, will spark an act of revenge. This can be committed by new followers or members of the JAD established by Aman. New sympathizers who studied JAD ideology for a few months are assumed to have new fighting spirit, and they may commit revenge attacks. The target is feared to emerge in a number of areas that will hold regional head elections, especially areas where people are made up of various ethnicities or races.

More recently, Indonesian Anti-Terror Special Detachment 88 –Densus 88 arrested Rizki Maulana (MM) in Depok, West Java. He is suspected of having links with JAD Bogor and is suspected of committing terror during the implementation of Regional Head Election in West Java. In addition, still in the same area, Densus 88 also shot dead two suspected terrorists with initials AS (29) and AZW alias MRS (31). They are said to have attended military training with ISIS Commander for Southeast Asia from Indonesia, Bahrumsyah.

The Densus 88 had to shoot them, because in the raid process, the two suspected terrorists tried to rebel. They attacked and threatened the officers' lives by using knife and revolver.

Both cases show that terrorists’ threats during the election may occur. Therefore, the cooperation between the people and the security forces must be improved in a bid to implement the Regional Head Elections smoothly, safely and honestly.