When Political Queen Bee is on the Show

“God, this is so annoying,” my colleague gasped out as she flopped back against the chair. Her amusement abated as she switched off the TV, her eyebrows raised slightly in annoyance. “Aren’t we entitled a right to get balanced media coverage regarding the two presidential pairs?”

I just chuckled. Her exasperation rings true. It doesn’t take a genius or media expert to know that neutrality in running stories on the presidential candidates is lame and cheesy presently. Anytime a certain TV channel   is on, each presidential pair is paraded in their own unique signature, throwing promises and slogans with their flashing million-dollar smile.

Turning to my facebook page, it is not surprising to see such war-like propagandas infected the social media as well! The political queen bees are so busy roaming free to boil our emotions and ignite the flames. They do not run for President, but they seem much more occupied to allocate their time and energy to seal a victory (whatever victory concept is on their head!). Their eyes turn bloodshot and face so tense with a ticking bomb ready for an explosion!

Duh, what a creep!

Smear campaigns, well-known for being filled with ridiculous amounts of fluff and nonsense, has been launched by loyalists of each candidate. Thanks to the internet, space, distance and time is no longer an issue to open the black campaign. It is also a place where people under the guise of anonymity might say very stupid even downright hurtful and slanderous things out of spite, sickly prank, retaliation or just trying to give one their portion of negative publicity.

I find the most unethical and evil thing to do is attacking one in the guise of religion and ethnicity without proven facts and evidence, but solely drawing from rumors and prejudice. This is what makes us all sick to stomach because such seeds of evil has the potential to torn this nation apart.

Learning from experiences, taking the time to debate each and every charge is simply a waste of time and energy. Worse, to go all out and retaliate is twice stupid as we are no longer in grade schools! The least we should do is stooping in their level and ruin our own reputation. Instead counteract each accusation with grace by performing deeds and acts instead of throwing fiery flames of words.

The mind, the words and action are in one chords of feat. What you think and say is what you translate into action. Walking the talk is much more effective than talking the talk.

I hope the two pair presidential candidates can also learn from their experiences and stop throwing jibes and bad joke about each other or else clutching each other throat and start dance wildly in the mud wrestling under the jeering of their grassroots. It will be humiliating and shed their true self into a public spectacle.  

The media has been playing significant role in fair and free election in most countries around the world, including Indonesia. It is its sacred duty to educate the public on an ethical and laws-abiding campaign. It is its sanctified oath to uphold a democratic election that is not only free and fair but also seen to be free and fair by providing information and analysis, functioning as watchdogs, peace building and being a conduit for voters’ voices. How the media report them in an accurate, fair and balanced manner is crucial to shape the future of the nation.

Today’s Indonesia Presidential Election has seen such a dramatic change when the field has narrowed into a tight two horse race. Yeah in about seven weeks, on July 9, Indonesians will get to decide.

It is unseen in our previous direct presidential election such a magnitude of a divide in the grassroots level. The candidates have their own zealots and fanfare that will blindly do anything for victory. The July election will be the hallmark of representative democracy, allowing citizens’ regular input in choices about who will best lead the nation, yet it is also competitive processes, potential to unleash conflict and tensions. If the negative outlook is not constructively managed, it could potentially destabilize the fabric of our societies and states.

It is therefore, essential that the media play an active role in ensuring that such tensions and conflicts are minimized or eliminated.  Often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy after the judiciary, legislative and the executive, the media can do this by sensitizing the electorate and the rest of the citizenry on the proper conduct of election.

Sadly, when media moguls taking side in politics, the information available to voters can be gravely distorted. There are rising concerns that the development of the Indonesia media’s watchdog will be stunted.

We have seen such sign in recent media coverage owned by media moguls to support their presidential candidates. We question their professional ethics in presenting the news as it seems they cannot stay clear from blatant violations of ethics such as distortion of facts, and over-emphasis on certain aspect of certain presidential candidate story.

That’s what makes me allergic to TV news coverage on the two pairs! Distortion!

Fairness and balance that is more than just a courtesy but a necessary for credible journalism in public interest become blurry and unclear. They key element that professional journalists are not supposed to favor any candidate is lost due certain vested interest of its owner.

Having said that, I personally agree should the Election Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu) along with the Indonesian Broadcasting Comission (KPI) and the Press Council to urge the media to promote peaceful and ethical campaign and to avoid smear campaigns. They could join forces to impose administrative sanctions on any television station that do not provide balanced accounts of both political pairs regardless of their owner.

We don’t want another vulgar violence take place if the public is exposed to such imbalanced news coverage. We have enough blatant slanderous words and mockery at display. We are tired of them. We want peaceful and ethical campaign.

Isn’t beautiful is the two pairs can shake hand, smile and embrace each other with grace? Sharing cakes or perhaps candies fair and square with their dazzling smile …..