The Department of Politics and Government received hearings from the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The hearing took place on Monday, January 16, 2023, at the Big Data Laboratory of the Department of Politics and Government. The activity was attended by the Chair and Members of DIY Bawaslu including Sutrisnowati, SH., MH., M.Psi , Agus Muhamad Yasin, S.Sos., MH. , Drs. Mohammad Najib, M.Si , Agung Nugroho, S.Pt , and Bayu Mardinta Kurniawan, SIP.
In the audience, Bawaslu said that in principle Bawaslu intends to continue the previous year’s agenda related to overseeing the 2024 elections. Bawaslu hopes to collaborate with various universities in Yogyakarta to conduct a related thematic Community Service Program (KKN) election. The implementation of the Thematic KKN, for example, involves students in escorting supervision at polling stations (TPS), political education for voters, and other activities. So far, the Special Region of Yogyakarta has become a national barometer for the implementation of the electoral process, so it needs to be scrutinized by relevant actors so that the 2024 election can be carried out properly.
Abdul Gaffar Karim as Head of the Department of Politics and Government welcomes this cooperation plan. Within the scope of the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, there is the Election Corner Team which has been working quite intensely in the process of escorting the implementation of elections through research, discussions, and so on. As for students, they can do it through KKN activities, or Freedom to Learn – Independent Campus (FLIC) (in Bahasa is known as Merdeka. Belajar Kampus Merdeka – MBKM) through apprenticeship schemes, independent study and others. Cooperation related to the publication of electoral content is also good to do as part of political education for voters.
Similarly, the Head of the Department, Head and Secretary of the Undergraduate Politics and Government Study Program, FISIPOL UGM Mada Sukmajati and Wigke Capri, also enthusiastically welcomed the planned collaboration with DIY Bawaslu. Mada Sukmajati said that efforts were needed to attract the attention of students so they would want to be involved and participate in election escort programs.