VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The open campaign for the 2019 General Elections has begun since Sunday (24/3). This open campaign takes place from April 24-13. This campaign will be a crucial stage for both sides of the presidential candidate pair 01 Joko Widodo-Maaruf Amin and presidential candidate pair 02 Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno with their supporting political parties. Why is it called 'crucial'? Because this open campaign involves mobilizing large numbers of people so that violation or clash may occur. To avoid the mass meeting of the two candidate pairs, the General Election Commission -KPU has made a campaign schedule based on regional zoning.The open campaign is like a "war" to gain voters. All contestants try to optimally attract the groups of ‘undecided voters’ or ‘swing voters’. The great effort to gain voters’ support is a concern of the succeeding team. Those who have not decided their choice will be persuaded to vote according to the wishes of the majority.The succeeding teams, supporting political parties and volunteers are certainly legitimate to win the support of the undecided voters. However, it should be kept in mind that the efforts must continue to prioritize ethics and comply with the existing regulations so that clashes or violence can be avoided. For example, the competition situation during the campaign period since September last year has made polarization heated up in the society.All contestants should return to the campaign philosophy as part of the community's political education and the campaign must be carried out responsibly. However, violations during the open campaigns must be dealt with. Election law must be enforced. The open campaigns must avoid the practice of money politics, intimidation and violence.The main essence of the campaign is to provide literacy for prospective voters so that they can make choices rationally, instead of a campaign that simply uses the voters’ emotion. This is feared to bring about fanaticism that has the potential for conflict in the election. Thus, the participants in the election should consistently carry out integrity pacts that they have signed to create peaceful elections, without hoaxes, politicization of tribe, religion, race, and intergroup -SARA, and money politics.