VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

This week, the campaign for the 2019 General Elections of the Legislative and Presidential Elections enters the final week. In accordance with the schedule set by the General Election Commission -KPU, April 13, 2019 is the last day of the open campaign. It’s only seven days before the voting day. The faces of legislative candidates are displayed everywhere, such as at billboards, banners, or on television. All of them want to convince the voters to entrust their votes to sit in the parliament. Two presidential candidates - vice presidential candidates: Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin and Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno have been also active to campaign in several regions across Indonesia.

The atmosphere of the campaign is increasingly dynamic. The supporters of each candidate also increasingly show their support. As happened at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Sunday (7/4), the community supporting Prabowo-Sandiaga Uno met. Meanwhile, the incumbent presidential candidate, Joko Widodo conducted an open campaign before their supporters in Tangerang, Banten. The oration of each presidential and vice-presidential candidate becomes the main event in the open campaign. The level of contestation increases dramatically as the two candidates are determined to win the election.

The open campaigns must be used maximally by presidential and vice-presidential candidates, including legislative candidates. Because the mass of the open campaigns can reach their supporters for a few days ahead.  To further convince the supporters, they will not be mistaken if they vote on the 17th of April. At present, the efforts to gain the votes of the swing voters and undecided voters are maximized. It is estimated that the swing voters can change their support for political parties or candidates in the previous elections and undecided voters can make their choices. Their number reaches around 11 to 15 percent of the total voters. The open campaign is the final medium to win the sympathy of the voters.

The success of holding open campaigns is often associated with the number of people present. Their number can be a measure of how many voters support each presidential and vice-presidential candidate. Thus, the succeeding team may use mass mobilization, and convoy to further convince the potential voters.

Expectations and appeals by many parties to the open campaign for the 2019 election can now be said to be fulfilled. The peaceful and dignified atmosphere called for by the Election Supervisory Agency –Bawaslu can be realized. The open campaign that has been taking place since March 24, 2019 has strengthened the voters’ confidence to entrust their votes. The open campaign also shows the readiness of the Indonesian people to face a five-year democratic party. The democratic party will be the starting point to determine Indonesia in the next five years.