Singaraja– Millennials have a very strategic role in the successful development of democracy in today’s modern era. Technological developments and the current era of disruption have enabled the next generation of this nation to take on and play its function as a pillar of the nation, especially by actively and creatively utilizing various technological facilities in the world of politics. This was conveyed by Undiksha Academics, Prof. Dr. I Wayan Lasmawan, M.Pd as a guest speaker at the National Seminar held by the Department of Law and Citizenship, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (FHIS) Undiksha, Saturday (5/10/2019). The seminar, which was opened to the public, also presented speakers from DPD RI Dr. Made Mangku Pastika, M.M. and Constitutional Court Judge Dr. I Dewa Gede Palguna, S.H., M. Hum.
Lasmawan explained millennials can be a trigger for the development of quality democracy if they are willing and managed in nature and its dimensions by the system and state instruments as a medium for democracy. This is evident from the role of millennial voters in the recent elections, where the number is close to 40 percent of the total citizens who exercise their right to vote. This means that there are nearly 70 million millennial voters who have used their state rights in this big Democratic party. “The increase in voter turnout in the last election, which almost reached 81 percent, proves that Indonesia is one of the major democracies whose level of consolidation has increased sharply. This is inseparable from the role of young voters. For this reason, in the current technological era, young voters are a segment that must be managed in such a way, by entering their world when the candidates participating in the General Election want to gain the trust of these voters,” he explained.
He further stated, by prioritizing mediation and managing political talent as well as the inclusion of technology in political communication, it is necessary to continue to increase the democratic literacy of millennials so that they are able to play their role as voters who are media-savvy, responsive, creative and advocative. “If this can be done, then the democratic movement is us, through mutual cooperation elections, surely it can be realized,” he said.
Making democracy become our business, said the academic who is also Undiksha’s Deputy Chancellor for Planning and Human Resources, one of which must be supported by holding quality elections that meet at least five conditions, namely opening up competitive opportunities for each participant broadly, held regularly with a rule of the game that guarantees certainty, is inclusive by placing every citizen equally in all its dimensions, is carried out by administrators who are independent and accountable, and whose implementation is fair and just.
The party system adopted and implemented in Indonesia so far is also considered to still not guarantee the implementation of true and real democracy. Elections as a facility for elite circulation, both between one elite and another, as well as the shift from a lower elite class to a higher elite class, have not been well patterned, because political parties prioritize the development of mass parties which are characterized by increased activity only approaching the election, adheres to a very loose membership system, does not yet have an adequate membership selection and recruitment system and has not yet developed a strong cadre system and political leadership. “For this reason, a breakthrough is needed in the mechanics of party system development at the sub-structural level, so that it will strengthen these political parties at the grassroots level, central level, and in government,” this former UNUD student activist in 1991.
If this can be done, the institutionalization of political parties will get better and will directly affect the quality of the meaning of democracy itself. The academic who is a former political consultant added that the institutionalization of parties can be done by strengthening four key components, namely party rooting, party legitimacy, rule and regulation, and party competitiveness.
In political studies, elections can be said to be a political activity where elections are institutions as well as practical politics that enable the formation of strong government because elections have fulfilled their obligations, namely to give birth to the best and elected people who will represent the people in a powerful manner. This is related to the meaning attached to the election itself as an ideal and maximum portrait of a democratic government in modern times. “Elections in their constellation as the embodiment of democracy, have several functions, namely as a means of political legitimacy, through elections the government can influence people’s behavior, as a facilitator for the establishment of people’s political contracts with their government, as well as a venue for people’s evaluation of the rulers they have trusted for the past five years. gone,” he said.
In the view of this academic from Bonyoh Village, Kintamani, Bangli, the consolidation of democracy is not enough only by-elections being carried out procedurally, but rather by how institutionalized democratic commitment is in the parties and representative councils they produce. “For this reason, the quality of elections is largely determined by how much people participate in the elections themselves, and how capable the people as the owners of sovereignty are in overseeing the holding of the elections themselves,” he said.
If this can be done, then at least it will ensure the guarantee of citizens’ constitutional rights in terms of ensuring the protection of the political rights of citizens, ensuring the realization of elections that are clean, transparent, and with integrity, encouraging the realization of elections as an instrument for determining political leadership and evaluating political leadership. encourage the emergence of political leadership that is in accordance with the greatest aspirations of the people, and finally, the aspirations of the people are fully and comprehensively accommodated.
In the future, in the context of building a democracy that is able to guarantee the parameters of the people’s independence as owners of sovereignty, Lasmawan, who is also the Chairman of the Forum for Vice-Chancellors in the field of HR at PTNs throughout Indonesia, emphasized the need to simplify the party system and reduce political costs that must be spent on every election event. On the other hand, to improve the quality of the election itself, it is important to carry out the election movement in a spirit of mutual cooperation. “So that every citizen feels and makes the Election their own, so they don’t rely solely on systems and regulations that are procedural-mechanistic in nature,” he concluded. (rls)
