House Commission II Member: One Vote from Young Voters Can Determine the Nation's Future

A member of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Rycko Menoza, has stated that political education for first-time voters must be carried out continuously to enhance the quality of democracy while producing a generation of responsible voters. “Our hope is that through this continuous education, the quality of future elections can be better, both in terms of the people voting and the figures being elected,” Rycko said in Bandarlampung on Saturday. Rycko explained that as a partner to election organisers, Commission II views political socialisation to the public as having a strategic role, especially for first-time voters who will exercise their right to vote for the first time. According to him, political education must provide an understanding that every vote holds significant meaning in determining the direction of regional and national development. Rycko noted that Indonesia has implemented a direct democracy system since 2004. Therefore, evaluations of election administration must continue to be carried out to improve the quality of democracy, both in terms of public maturity in exercising voting rights and the integrity of elected leaders. He invited first-time voters, including Generation Z, to use their voting rights responsibly because every vote will determine the future of economic development, infrastructure, and public welfare. “One vote they cast will have a major influence on the future of the region, the future of the province, and the future of the nation. We certainly do not want a region’s growth and development to slow down just because its leader betrayed the mandate and became entangled in legal problems,” he said. Rycko added that various policies that directly impact people’s lives, from fuel prices and staple goods prices to infrastructure development, are the results of political decisions born through the democratic process. According to him, increasing political awareness among young voters is an important factor in producing clean, accountable leaders with integrity, thereby ensuring the sustainability of regional and national development.