Semarang (04/12) – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at Universitas Diponegoro (Undip), in collaboration with the Secretariat General of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI), held the National Seminar on Campus Parliament 2024. Themed “Examining the Election Law: The Role of Students in Promoting Clean and Integrity-Driven Elections,” the event spanned two days, beginning with the national seminar on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at the Diponegoro Muda Hall, Building D, 1st Floor, FISIP Undip Campus, Tembalang. The program continued on Thursday, December 5, 2024, with a parliamentary session simulation.

This seminar featured notable figures, including Deputy Chairperson of House Commission II, Aria Bima; Secretary General of DPR RI, Dr. Indra Iskandar, M.Si.; Head of the Parliamentary Analysis Center at the Secretariat General of DPR RI, Achmad Sani Alhusain, S.E., M.A.; Dean of FISIP Undip, Dr. Drs. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin; and Head of Domestic Political Affairs at the Provincial Office of National Unity and Politics of Central Java, Agung Kristiyanto, S.Sos.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Indra Iskandar, M.Si., emphasized the critical role of students as agents of change in safeguarding the sustainability of Indonesia’s democracy. He highlighted challenges for the 2024 Simultaneous Elections, such as limited public understanding of electoral mechanisms, particularly among young voters, who comprise a significant proportion of first-time voters and swing voters. According to him, political education for students is a long-term investment to foster transparent, clean, and integrity-driven elections. “Students, entrusted as agents of change, are expected to actively and critically engage with the electoral laws, contributing to systematic and comprehensive policymaking within the democratic framework,” he stated.

Dr. Drs. Teguh Yuwono, M.Pol.Admin., the Dean of FISIP Undip, underscored that this event reflects FISIP Undip’s efforts to integrate theoretical and practical learning for students. He expressed pride in FISIP Undip’s achievement of ranking among the world’s top 500 universities according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. Additionally, he unveiled plans to establish a DPR RI Corner as an information centre for legislative products of DPR RI.

The seminar was divided into two discussion sessions. In the first session, Deputy Chairperson of House Commission II, Aria Bima, elaborated on the importance of transparent and accountable democracy. He highlighted the role of students in maintaining electoral integrity through active participation and delivering aspirations to parliament. Agung Kristiyanto, S.Sos., addressed challenges such as identity politics, hate speech, misinformation, and money politics, recommending enhanced political education and peaceful election declarations to ensure political stability. Dr. Fitriyah further emphasized the need for a consistent legal framework to guarantee fair and democratic elections, alongside fostering simplified yet effective political party institutionalization.

The second session featured a presentation by Achmad Sani Alhusain, S.E., M.A., on the working mechanisms of DPR RI, covering its representative function, consensus deliberation, and the roles of its parliamentary instruments. His explanation provided students with insights into how parliamentary decision-making processes reflect the will of the people while strengthening democracy.

The seminar underscored the importance of active student involvement in understanding and overseeing the process of drafting Election Laws, considering their significant impact on personal and public life. Quality elections will result in precise and relevant policies, ensuring that all FISIP Undip students grasp the electoral system as an integral part of the transparent and integrity-driven public policymaking process.

Contributor & Translator:
Nur Inayah