On February 29, 2024, the Public Administration Study Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), in collaboration with the Student Association of Public Administration (HIMAP), organized a seminar on elections. This seminar aimed to discuss the events that occurred before, during, and after the election process. The activity was held as part of an educational initiative and a discussion platform for UMM Public Administration students. The discussion was based on both theoretical insights and real-world facts. The seminar featured three speakers: Prof. Asep Nurjaman, M.Si as Speaker 1, Dr. Salahudin, S.IP., M.Si., M.PA as Speaker 2, and Mr. Yana Syafriyana Hijri, S.IP., M.IP as Speaker 3.
"In the election process, before and after the election, there are narratives of betrayal, abuse of power for certain political interests, and various other narratives used to direct public attention to be cautious in the execution of the election. These narratives often come to fruition after the election, resulting in scapegoats such as President Jokowi, survey institutions, the authorities, and SIREKAP. These are the kinds of narratives that develop, and afterward, there are always scapegoats," explained Prof. Asep Nurjaman, M.Si.
"The future of democracy must be improved from three aspects. The first is Democracy Mind—do all of us, the government, political parties, society, students, and faculty in Public Administration and Political Science, think about democracy? Maybe we don’t, which leads to not thinking about political progress or even not voting. How can we think about democracy if our basic needs—food, clothing, and shelter—are not met? The second aspect is Democracy Attitude. Democracy needs participation, such as from students and faculty, to conduct political education that will be passed on to the public, educating them on the importance of discussing politics. How can the public talk about politics if they see it as dirty and frightening? The third aspect is Democracy Skill. The ability to democratically engage must be built by all components, including society and political parties," added Mr. Yana Syafriyana Hijri, S.IP., M.IP.
