PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. BOGOR - Assistant for Government and People's Welfare (Aspemkesra) for Bogor Regency, Zainal Ashari, emphasized that the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus is one of the determining factors for the quality of democracy in elections.

This was stated at the participatory supervision coordination meeting to control the neutrality of ASN in facing the 2024 simultaneous elections, at the Darmawan Park Hotel, Babakan Madang, Tuesday (30/7/2024).

Zainal Ashari said that attention regarding the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) must be a common priority, in order to maintain the constitutional mandate regarding democracy and popular sovereignty. In Law Number 20 of 2023 concerning ASN, it is written that ASN employees are obliged to maintain neutrality.

“ASN's non-neutrality will be very detrimental to the state, government and society. "ASN's unprofessionalism during the democratic party will cause the government's targets at the local and national levels to not be achieved properly," said Zainal.

Zainal added that neutrality means not taking sides from any form of influence and not taking sides with other interests outside the interests of the nation and state, including political interests.

According to him, ASN still has the right to vote, but it can only be cast in the voting booth, not in the media or other channels.

"ASN must be careful in using social media, especially in the current election atmosphere, so that ASN does not carry out campaigns or outreach on social media in the form of posting, commenting, sharing links, or giving election participants a like icon," said Zainal.

He explained, to ensure the maintenance of ASN neutrality, the government had previously issued a Joint Decree (SKB) regarding guidelines for developing and supervising the neutrality of ASN employees in holding general elections.

This SKB aims to encourage legal certainty regarding the handling of violations of the principle of neutrality of ASN in order to hold quality elections and elections. ASNs who violate neutrality will be subject to sanctions according to the form of the violation committed.

"The sanctions given range from moral sanctions, moderate disciplinary penalties, severe disciplinary penalties, to dishonorable dismissal. "This should be a concern for all ASN, especially within the Bogor Regency Government," explained Assistant for Government and People's Welfare (Aspemkesra), Zainal Ashari. (Diskominfo Bogor Regency/Revo)