Yulida Medistiara, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD is asking the public to actively participate in next year's presidential and legislative elections. Mahfud hopes that no one will golput or abstain from voting.
Initially, Mahfud was speaking about monarchies, which are different from democracy. Indonesia uses a democratic system which Mahfud referred to as the circulation of power.
"Under a democracy, there must be a circulation of power. A power vacuum isn't allowed to occur, so don't let it reach the point of, 'Wah enough, there's no need for elections, there isn't anyone good'. It can't be like that", said Mahfud during a Gakkumdu (Integrated Law Enforcement) Centre coordination forum titled Tackling Election Crimes in Sulawesi, which was broadcast on the Coordinating Ministry for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs YouTube channel on Thursday July 13.
Mahfud said he understands that there are many people who are apathetic about elections looking at the candidates that have emerged. But he is asking the public to keep casting their vote.
"If there really isn't anyone that's okay, look for the better one, look for the least bad one", said Mahfud.
"Sometimes people, right, say 'Enough... I'm not taking part in the elections, what use are they, the candidates are the same old thing, the DPRD [Regional House of Representatives], the gubernatorial candidates, the presidential candidates, the national DPR [House of Representatives]'. It can't be like that, there's a candidate, oh, they're no good, no good, no good, choose the one that's okay, the least bad one, because every human being, every candidate certainly has weaknesses", he added.
Therefore Mahfud hopes that the public will not golput. He is asking people to vote for the best candidate among the ones that are no good.
"So, in a democracy, look for the better one among those who have been legally ratified, these are your candidates, vote, don't golput", said Mahfud. (dhn/dhn)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Mahfud: Jangan Golput, Pilih Calon yang Paling Sedikit Tidak Baiknya".]
