Even though statistically PrabowoGibran can win in one round, their campaign team members should always tell themselves that defeat is within sight.
Second, don’t be lulled by the battle of airwaves or on social media. It is true that we live in a digital era. However, the election battle is not a social media battle, it is a ground battle. Thus, what should be built is real support, not social media engagement, such as likes, comments, shares, and so on.
In my observation, there are many campaign staffers who are trapped in airwaves or a digital battle. It’s as if winning on the cyberspace means winning the actual battlefield. For those who overly extol success in digital battlefield, one should remember that it is not always a reflection of the reality on the field.
Let’s look at the two most popular social media that are often used as data references, namely X (formerly twitter) and Instagram. As of July-August 2023, there are only 25.25 million X users 116.16 million Instagram users in Indonesia.
So, how can one claim victory simply based on high engagement on social media? To create a trending topic, only thousands to tens of thousands of tweets are needed. It’s the same with Instagram. How is it possible to claim millions of votes with only thousands of likes and comments?
Once again, it is worth remembering that winning one round requires real votes of hundreds of millions of votes, not only hundreds of thousands of engagements. With a final voter list (DPT) of 204,807,222, a minimum of 102,403,612 votes are needed to win by one round.
Third, every campaigner must be a ‘sniper’. Every program/activity to attract voters must have a clear electoral target. With only 40 days left, the programs/activities should not be simply ceremonial in nature.
In my view, there are many campaign slots that are only filled with seminars or webinars in hotels and cafes. And most of them are only held in Jakarta. My question is, is hotel or cafe a place for the ordinary people to gather? Why aren’t the activities conducted at village halls, traditional markets or face-to-face meetings at pockets of potential votes in the regions?
If I may suggest something, with this short campaign period, the campaigners should focus on carrying out Prabowo-Gibran’s signature program, such as giving out free milk and healthy lunch packets.
Just imagine, if the distribution of free milk and healthy lunch packets can be carried out simultaneously in all provinces in Indonesia, how big and iconic this activity will be. Not only that, the program can also grease the economic wheels of local communities.
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As Gibran explained in the vice-presidential debate on December 22, 2023, local stalls can become partners. Their merchandise can be purchased, to provide for the needy. The spillover effects will be enormous.
Fourth, and most importantly, campaign members must not be competing among themselves, in action akin to a turf war. That is detrimental to the campaign and may lead to defeat. How can a team win against its rivals if they are busy fighting among themselves?
To conclude, I would like to quote the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) António Guterres: “Now is the time for unity”. (Khairul Fahmi)