Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka urged the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) to ensure the 2024 elections are conducted peacefully and without violence, following a deadly incident in Sampang, East Java.
"We do not want the incident in Sampang to happen again anywhere. All parties must actively prevent and detect issues early," Gibran said in a speech at Monas, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday.
The violence was triggered by tensions between residents supporting opposing candidates in the 2024 Pilkada election. The altercation resulted in the death of Jimmy Sugito, who was severely injured during the confrontation.
Gibran emphasized the need for a peaceful and smooth election process, urging Bawaslu to conduct impartial oversight. He also echoed President Prabowo Subianto's message to the public, stressing the importance of unity despite political differences. "Our diversity and differences are strengths for Indonesia's democracy," he said.
"Let's ensure the 2024 Regional Elections do not result in another casualty," Gibran added.
In response, Bawaslu Chairman Rahmat Bagja acknowledged the tensions but did not anticipate the deadly outcome. He pledged to strengthen coordination with local police to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"We regret the Sampang incident, but we had already predicted the tense situation. High-risk areas were identified, but we didn't expect it to escalate into a murder," Rahmat said.
Rahmat explained that the incident occurred after the candidates had left, leading to a security lapse. He confirmed that tensions had been brewing between residents even before the candidates departed.
"Initially, the candidates were escorted by security forces. After they left, there was no security in place," he said.
Rahmat called for greater involvement of the community and religious leaders to prevent such incidents in the future. He also confirmed that sanctions would be imposed on those involved in the altercation, as the incident had escalated to a criminal offense.
The 2024 Regional Elections will be held across 37 provinces, 415 regencies, and 93 cities, with 1,557 candidate pairs competing, including 1,169 regent and vice regent pairs and 285 mayor and vice mayor pairs.