PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The West Java General Election Commission (KPU) invites all stakeholders including the mass media to work together to make the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election (Pilkada) contest a success which will take place on November 27.

Head of the Division of Socialization, Voter Education, and Community Participation of the West Java KPU, Hedi Ardia, said that it is the obligation of all parties to make this big event a success with their respective main tasks and functions (tupoksi).

"Election organizers with their duties, then the regional government is also inserted, the security forces with their obligations," said Hedi in the Orasi (Casual Democracy Chat) event entitled 'Journalists-KPU Join Hands, Create a Democratic and Safe West Java Pilkada' at Nara Park Bandung.

Not only that, he also considered that the press has an important role in making the 2024 Pilkada a success. How information related to the Pilkada can be conveyed properly to the public.

"Media colleagues are one of the parties who will help determine to what extent this information is conveyed to the public, that on November 27 we will return to the TPS to elect governors and elect district heads or mayors according to their respective regions," he said.

With the role of the press, said Hedi, the West Java KPU is targeting an increase in voter participation in the 2024 Pilkada by 2 percent or 75 percent compared to the previous year.

"We have a big interest in our media partners, so that election participation in West Java can increase by at least 2 percent from the previous regional election figure of 73 percent," he said.

Hedi views that so far the role of the mass media has been very helpful in disseminating information to the public regarding the 2024 Pilkada. Moreover, the stages of the Pilkada itself have entered the candidate registration stage at all levels.

"So far, because the stages are increasingly crucial, the media themselves are naturally looking for information from the public, whereas previously we needed the media ourselves because of how to ensure that we want to have regional elections on November 27," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the West Java Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), Tantan Sulthon, asked the press to continue to provide critical signals in initiating the interests of the community in the 2024 Pilkada.

"As the fourth pillar of democracy, we must take a stance. For example, now the KPU Public Relations is issuing a release, then we just write a copy paste according to that. We must also criticize (the KPU release), is it in accordance with the interests of the community," said Tantan.

It is not only the KPU's business, said Tantan, this also applies to releases received by the press from each regional head candidate's campaign team.

"Is the information conveyed true? Is it just for them to boost their name? Or is it just to give a positive impression to the public? Is the vision conveyed true?" he said.

According to Tamtan, by prioritizing this critical attitude, the public will not be easily fooled by the sweet promises of regional head candidates.

"So that the public is not blinded by just lipstick, on Instagram it's good, on YouTube it's good, on social media it's good and media friends are also busy making it good," he explained.

In the same place, the Chairman of the West Java Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), Ikhwan Sabar Romli said that the development of information and communication technology has made it easier for people to obtain and exchange information.

According to him, it is actually a challenge for TV journalists. Because, not a little information circulating on social media cannot be confirmed as true.

"Let's flashback to 20 years ago, friends, television was one-way. Where the audience went directly to the television for information. But in this era, the complexity is higher, where complexity is present in all lines, in dark spaces it is present, be it true information or hoaxes," said Ikhwan.

Thus, it is a challenge for the Brotherhood in itself to present information, especially regarding the 2024 Pilkada, which will result in an increase in voter participation rates.

"Because of the current complexity with the presence of social media with quite high information distribution. The complexity of society is also carried along, besides that, perhaps diversity," he explained.

"Diversity, seeing that in West Java itself, we are trying to raise tolerance again, we are bringing it up again, that is perhaps the main key that television journalists must do," he continued.

Ikhwan also reminded that TV journalists have more responsibility in conveying balanced information to the public.

"Because television uses frequencies, so the frequencies belong to the public, that is what must be noted that we are present, we as journalists are only obliged to provide useful information values to the public," he emphasized. (rep no)