"We think that Indonesia has customs, values, and ideas, which are still good (for the democratic process of power transfer)," he said during the opening of a series of activities organized as part of the fifth plenary session of the Global Network on Electoral Justice (GNEJ) in Bali on Monday.
A democratic transfer of power must be sustained for the sake of the nation's survival, stability, security, and democracy, he added.
If the democratic transfer of power is not safeguarded, then this transfer will find its own way outside the Constitution and more worryingly, through war.
"However, if it does not use the democratic path, it will find its own way, that is war, and that is the most dangerous," Bagja said.
Of course, no one wants war in the process of power transfer, as seen in several countries, he stressed.
"The way of war, the most terrible thing should not happen, (such as the incident) of the Arab Spring (as a transitional process outside the Constitution),” he said.
Bawaslu is hosting the fifth plenary assembly of the GNEJ in Bali from October 9–11, 2022.
The plenary session has several themes, including an analysis of the elections held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another theme is digital media and disinformation during the election process. This needs to be focused on so that each democratic process can become stronger.
Yet another thing that the GNEJ Forum will focus on is the strategy to bring justice closer to voters, he informed.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has also called upon Bawaslu to conduct electoral supervision duties strictly, including law enforcement, Bagja said after meeting the President here last week.
"Mr. President's request for Bawaslu is to be strict in terms of law enforcement, both criminal law and administrative law," he informed at the Presidential Palace.
During an audience with Bawaslu, President Widodo praised his experience of being examined by the agency such as when he ran for the posts of the mayor of Surakarta, Central Java, and governor of Jakarta, he added.
The President also described the experiences as his best memories since they were a true manifestation of Bawaslu's firmness in conducting its duties, Bagja remarked.
"He lauded and assessed that this is what is needed in the future, strict law enforcement, so that general election participants (candidates will) be careful in conducting the campaign processes, mass gatherings, and so on," he said.
In addition, Widodo advised Bawaslu to continue to maintain its strict behavior in order to improve the implementation of the 2024 general elections.
He said that Bawaslu and the government shared similar views regarding the politicization of ethnic, religious, racial, and intergroup (SARA) issues, hoaxes, and black campaigns.
The politicization of SARA must be stopped to prevent polarization, he added.
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Translator: Boyke L, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
