POLITICAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY OF THE
CANDIDATE PAIR AL HARIS AND ABDULLAH SANI IN WINNING THE 2020 JAMBI
GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION
Dedi
Saputra
Universitas Paramadina, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]
|
KEYWORDS Strategy, Communication, Political Communication
Strategy, Candidate Pairs |
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study
was to determine the political communication strategy and the inhibiting
factors and opportunities for political communication of the Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani winning teams. To obtain victory in the contestation of the
Governor's Election in Jambi Province in 2020, which is pursued through
careful political communication planning, the dissemination of issues
regarding the candidate pair competing for the number one seat in the government
is important to achieve victory. This research uses a qualitative descriptive
method. Researchers use Political Marketing theory with three approaches,
namely: push marketing, pull marketing, pass marketing. In this study the
author took four informants as samples. Data collection in this study was
collected from observations, interviews, and documentation. From the results
of the study, there were several roles performed by the Al Haris and Abdullah
Sani winning team during the campaign period, the campaign strategy was
carried out in three ways: face-to-face campaigns, campaigns using social
media, and open campaigns. The obstacles experienced by the winning team of
Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in the field are semantic factors, namely the lack
of solid coordination and communication between the winning team and
perceptual distortion, namely errors caused by the narrow thinking of novice
voters so that it is quite difficult to convey the programs and vision and
mission of the candidate pair. |
INTRODUCTION
Secondly, it facilitates the balance of power separation and checks and
balances between the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD) and the
regional head or deputy head. A government based on balanced power separation
and mutually beneficial separation is characterized by the direct election of
both parliament and the executive by the people (Arifin, 2003). Both have balanced strength in position and power differences, with
control efforts executed through regional budgets and regulations, legitimized
by the people. The common language used by local elites suggests that the
direct election of regional leaders in elections aims to ensure that these
leaders can have an equal partnership with the DPRD. Therefore, the interaction
between the DPRD and regional leaders should not only be dynamic but also
productive in realizing the welfare of all regions (Agustino, 2009).
On December 9, 2020, the province of Jambi held its five-yearly
democratic event to choose leaders who would govern the province for the next
five years. Three pairs of candidates competed in the 2020 Jambi gubernatorial
election: Cek Endra and Ratu Munawaroh,
Fakhrori Umar and Syafril
Mursal, and Al Haris and Abdullah Sani. These candidates were considered the
chosen ones with experience and competence in line with their duties (Umar, 2008). The people of Jambi had the right to contribute to this election,
choosing the pair they deemed most suitable to lead.
The local political dynamics leading up to the Jambi Gubernatorial
Election were highly discussed (Cangara, 2011). Pro and contra opinions about the election reflected various political
maneuvers by all gubernatorial candidates. The
nomination of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani gained support from three political
parties forming the "Solid Jambi Coalition." The gubernatorial
election process involved stages such as candidate screening, filtering, and determination,
with a focus on the political communication strategy of the Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani pair (Widjaja, 2000).
Although the five-year democracy event ended on October 9, 2020,
allegations of fraud colored media reports. The Jambi
Provincial Election Commission announced the vote results on December 19, 2020,
declaring Al Haris and Abdullah Sani as the winners. However, the Cek Endra and
Ratu Munawaroh pair rejected the results and filed a lawsuit with the
Constitutional Court (MK), which ordered a re-vote (PSU) in several polling
stations. The PSU results confirmed the victory of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
in the second round, with vote counts in various districts and cities in the
province. This pair was officially declared the winner of the 2020 Jambi
Gubernatorial Election (Curtis & Winsor, 2006).
Based on the above data, the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair won the
Jambi Gubernatorial Election in 2020 by obtaining 600,773 votes or 38.26%. This
result is intriguing, prompting a deeper examination of the political
communication strategy played by the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair.
Considering other pairs also had significant voter bases, such as the Cek Endra
and Ratu Munawaroh pair, predicted to win due to Cek Endra's two-term position
as the Regent of Sarolangun and strong financial
backing, as well as the Fakhrori Umar and Syafril Mursal pair, considered strong due to Fakhrori Umar's incumbent status and strong political
influence (Nimmo, 2011).
The victory of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in the 2020 Jambi
Gubernatorial Election has sparked serious attention from the researcher to
delve into the political communication strategy of the Al Haris and Abdullah
Sani pair that led to their success in the 2020 Jambi Gubernatorial Election.
Given the background issues outlined above, the researcher is keen to
conduct an in-depth study on the Political Communication Strategy of the Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani pair in winning the Jambi Gubernatorial Election in
2020.
Reviewing the formulated problems, the researcher has identified the
following issues:
1. What is the political communication pattern employed by the campaign
team to win the Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair in the 2020 Jambi Gubernatorial
Election?
2. What are the inhibiting factors and opportunities in the political
communication process carried out by the campaign team of the 2020 Jambi
Gubernatorial Election candidates Al Haris and Abdullah Sani?
The meaning of the research objectives is the most crucial aspect of the
study, as it encompasses the essence of the conducted research. Some objectives
to be achieved include:
1. To provide an overview and analyze the
political communication strategy implemented by the coalition's campaign team
and volunteer team in the process of electing Al Haris and Abdullah Sani as
governor and deputy governor of Jambi Province for the 2021-2024 period.
2. To analyze the factors that hinder the
campaign team in the campaign process in the field and to find out what
opportunities were utilized by the Al-Haris and Abdulah Sani pair to gain
support in the 2020 Jambi Gubernatorial Election.
To avoid research duplication or similarities, the researcher explains
the results of the literature review related to the research. The researcher
found similarities with the research conducted by Erick W. Besman
Napitupulu, which focused on the political
communication strategy of the Hulman Sitorus, H.E. and Dr. Koni Ismail
Siregar pair during the 2010 Pematang Siantar regional head election. The researcher observed the
political communication strategy of Dr. Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani during the regional head election in the Jambi province in 2020 (Alo, 1991; Kriyantono, 2006; Muhamad,
2005). For the
differences noted by the researcher in this study, refer to Erick W. Besman Napitupulus' research on
the 2010 local general election in Pematang Siantar. Meanwhile, the researcher in the 2020 provincial
regional head election in Jambi Province.
In the research conducted by Muhamad Rosit,
there are similarities in the political communication strategies employed by Ratut Atut Chosiah
to win the hearts of the people. However, the difference in this study is that
Muhamad Rosit outlined the political communication
strategy of the Ratut Atut Chosiah pair, who were incumbents, while in this study, the
Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair were new candidates and not popular among the
people of Jambi Province.
RESEARCH
METHOD
This
research adopts a qualitative approach because the topic is complex and vague,
in accordance with the definition of qualitative research that emphasizes
descriptive and observed human actions (Moleong, 2005). Political
communication strategy research not only involves difficult strategy concepts
but also prioritizes qualitative evaluation, following the principle of theory
identification both formally and substantively (Moleong, 2000: 29). The applied
research paradigm is an interpretive frame of mind. The focus is on how people
interpret social interactions and their understanding of elections,
politicians, and victories. This paradigm includes the way researchers perceive
reality, the methods used, and the way of interpreting results (Moleong, 2007).
The
research uses a qualitative approach and comes from case studies that are
aligned with the research objectives. The qualitative approach here is based on
the paradigm and phenomenology of constructivist knowledge building. The
characteristics of qualitative research include the construction of reality
with sociocultural significance, situation analysis, and the use of sampling (I. Gunawan, 2022; HADI, 1989; Hamdi, 2014; Usman
& Akbar, 2022).
This
research is included in descriptive research that aims to describe situations
and conditions in society without changing its social reality. The aim is to
obtain factual information, analyze existing problems, and identify similar
problems for learning and future planning (Burhan, 2006). The process of
data analysis uses an inductive method. The analysis is based on a certain
framework that allows the identification of variables and the understanding of
the subjectivity of informants. More emphasis on "why" than
"what" (Bahruddin & Hamdi, 2014).
Primary
data collection methods include in-depth interviews and direct observation. The
interviews were conducted mainly with strategic figures involved in the
campaign, such as Governor Al Haris, coalition team leader H. Bakrie, Media
Center director Musri Nauli, and expert council Robert Samosir. Direct
observations were made to identify the behavior of the successful team as well
as the message of political communication in the candidates of Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani. Secondary data collection is carried out through literature
studies related to political communication, marketing strategies, political
archives, and documentary studies which include campaign media and photos of
campaign activities.
Information
was obtained from interview subjects consisting of Al Haris (Jambi Governor
Candidate), H. Bakrie (Team Leader of Paslon Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
Coalition Party), Robert Samosir (Expert Council of Paslon Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani Winning Team), and Musri Nauli (Director of Media Center Paslon
Al Haris and Abdullah Sani).
Table of interview
subjects:
|
No |
Speaker |
Title |
|
1 |
Al Haris |
Jambi Governor
Candidate 2020 (Governor-Elect) |
|
2 |
H. Bakrie |
Team Leader of
the Coalition Party Paslon Al Haris |
|
3 |
Robert Samosir |
Expert Hall of Fame
Winning Team Paslon Al Haris |
|
4 |
Musri Nauli |
Media Center
Director Paslon Al Haris |
With this
method, the research obtained very relevant and in-depth information related to
political communication strategies in the 2020 Jambi Regional Election.
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Political Communication Strategy of Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani
In terms of carrying out political communication strategies, the Al-Haris
and Abdullah Sani couple, prioritize the approach to the lower class with the
aim of identifying the causes of obstacles that caused the previous government
to have difficulty realizing them in Jambi Province. Furthermore, the problem
was explained back to the community in the form of a work program, in order to
provide the best solution to build a more stable and advanced Jambi Province in
the future. This condition is in line with the exposure from Al Haris as
follows:
"When campaigning or going to the field of our community has a commitment from the beginning not to blaspheme each
other, explaining some things that are considered actual and cover the entire
needs of the people of Jambi Province. We also has analyzed the overall root of the problem in Jambi
Province and found a series of alternative solutions that are and will be faced
by Jambi Province. From the problems that arise, we filter then find
the right solution for us to include in a real work program". Results of
an interview with Jambi Governor Al Haris (On July 5, 2022).
During the campaign activities, a series of political messages presented
by Paslon Al Haris and Abdullah Sani were always oriented towards several
leading projects which were expected to solve some of the problems experienced
by the people of Jambi Province through program offers related to efforts to
overcome road infrastructure problems which have so far always been an obstacle
for the people of Jambi Province, free internet network for every village, offering a house renovation program, two
billion one sub-district (DUMISAKE), reducing unemployment, providing scholarships
to the best sons and daughters of Jambi Province and a series of other programs
that were previously covered by the vision and mission. In line with what Al
Haris explained as follows:
"We are not neko-neko, Alhamdulillah, what we touched
directly the needs of the people of Jambi Province. All of the projects that
distributes to the community are pursued through easy-to-understand delivery,
applying simplicity of language and logic. So that we refer to the community
immediately understands. Although at first found it difficult to digest the
information conveyed. However, after the evaluation, thank God the community's understanding
has increased and the excellent programs delivered can be directly enjoyed and
felt by the community". Results of an interview with Jambi Governor Al
Haris, on 
July 5, 2023)
Figure 1. Al Haris and Abdullah Sani couple program
(Source: https://www.brito.id/)
In addition to mainstream media, the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani couple
also took advantage of the use of social media and online media during the
campaign, this is part of the strategy carried out by the Al Haris and Abdullah
Sani couple in winning the 2020 regional election contestation in Jambi Province.
The level of quality of the media is controlled by a series of violations that
have been established by KIP. With the existence of print media, social media,
online media and television at major events, strong competition is formed
against political rivals. This condition will be an attraction if supported by
the diversity of issues published during the campaign period, as described by
Al Haris as follows:
"In winning this regional election, we also utilize
various social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, etc., including print,
online and electronic media because in the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic
yesterday, the presence of the media is very important in conveying messages to
the public. Now in the use of social media, there is often direct contact with
the party next door, and thank God we never use an obscure account, the social media
account of our team is all, this is what we convey from the beginning to the entire
winning team. Although sometimes we have been
accused of using a fake account. we were attacked by
the opposite party using a fake account. But this kind of dynamic is
commonplace in local elections, we face it with a
cool head and a peaceful heart (Danesi, 2013). Then we also use online
media, social media and other forms of media when there are important events,
television is also presented so that people really know our vision and mission for Jambi Province" Results of Interview with
Jambi Governor Al Haris, July 5, 2023.
Figure 2. Online media campaigns
(Source : https://www.jernih.id)
Campaign Team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
Recruitment
Process of the Campaign Team
In forming the campaign team for the Al-Haris
and Abdullah Sani pair, the system involved the assistance of volunteers in
conveying their programs and visions to the wider community. More than 15
volunteers were found under the command of the success team, implementing an
approach strategy aligned with their competencies. The recruitment of
volunteers was conducted voluntarily from the community where they aimed to
provide support to the candidates and had a desire to bring progress to Jambi
Province in line with a series of flagship programs and visions conveyed during
the campaign period by the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair among the people of
Jambi Province (R. H. Gunawan,
2020; Medita & Hanifah, 2020; Napitupulu, 2013).
The purpose of forming the volunteer team is
to support and secure the victory of the Al Haris & Abdullah Sani pair in
the 2020 Jambi Provincial Election, working under the coordination of the core
campaign team (coalition team) or the campaign secretariat. As expressed by H.
Bakrie (2023):
"The duties of volunteers are diverse in
the field, such as assisting the work of the central coalition party campaign
team on a voluntary basis, but with different approaches. Some are active among
students, to fathers and mothers in households, specific organizations, or
communities such as certain sports communities like cycling, futsal, and nature
lovers, and others. Clearly, the presence of volunteer friends really helps the
campaign team in the field. Volunteers are also part of the campaign team. At
that time, I was the head of the coalition campaign team, so I had to know and
nurture all the volunteer friends in the field so that the mission to achieve
victory could be realized. That's what we did." (Excerpt from an interview
with H. Bakrie, June 26, 2023)
Figure 3. Volunteer
couple Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
(Source: Radarjambi.co.id)
Internal and
External Strengthening of the Campaign Team for Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
In the implementation of political
communication strategies by the campaign team, there are inevitably obstacles
and challenges. Therefore, specific methods or efforts are required to
anticipate and ensure the team remains solid and cohesive, ensuring that the
campaign strategy is executed effectively and hits the target. Throughout the
campaign stages until the voting process, the researcher identified efforts or
strategies implemented by the campaign team to secure victory for Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani, categorized into internal and external strengthening (Farraz, 2015; Sugiprawaty,
2009).
Internal
Through various efforts in implementing
internal changes and victories by candidates Al Haris and Abdullah Sani,
including:
a.
Consolidation of the campaign team
In response to the ongoing political dynamics,
the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani campaign team immediately consolidated all team
members and conducted evaluations regarding any weaknesses or obstacles
encountered during the campaign. One serious concern was the preparation of the
budget for the campaign. Wise budget utilization is crucial because having a
budget impacts the improvement and smooth implementation of all activities and
policies in the field. Campaign costs can be used wisely for accommodation,
transportation, and other expenses. Al Haris expressed this as follows:
"We have consistently conveyed that we
are the candidates with the least financial resources, so it must be used
wisely according to the team's needs in the field. Even though we are limited
in financial resources, all team members are aware of it, and they maximize
what is available. It means that the use of money for the daily needs of the
team can be fulfilled according to the requirements. I conveyed to all team
members that we must work hard and not lose spirit just because we have
financial limitations. Instead, we have a high fighting spirit to achieve
victory."
Results of an interview with Al Haris on July
5, 2023
Figure 4. Consolidation
of Campaign Team
(Source : jambiseru.com)
External
During the campaign process, up to the voting
stage, several efforts were carried out by the campaign team with the aim of
strengthening the relationships initiated by themselves or by the supported
candidate. In practice, one of the external efforts implemented by the campaign
team of candidates Al Haris and Abdullah Sani was to minimize the emergence of attacks
from other rival candidates or, in other words, counteracting issues that
raised doubts for the team or supporters. Until the first-round voting and the
re-election process took place, although campaigning was not allowed, wise
socialization to the public was consistently conducted while adhering to all
applicable regulations.
The candidate pair and the campaign team
naturally have different methods based on their characteristics, namely being
among the community by attending community invitations. This is similar to what
Musri Nauli stated:
"Mr. Al Haris is indeed a leader who is
close to the community. Every time we go down to the field, he immediately
mingles with the community, sleeps in people's homes. This is something
natural, not something contrived. That's the true character of Mr. Al Haris. In
the course of the campaign process, there are certainly many challenges and
obstacles, but we can overcome them with a pure heart. We continue to advocate
for a clean campaign by not tarnishing any opposing party. This is a common
practice in the election contest; we uphold the cultural values of Jambi."
Results of an interview with
the Director of the Media Center, Musri Nauli, on June 7, 2023.
Figure 5. The atmosphere of the couple Al-Haris and
Abdullah Sani attending the community invitation event
(Source :uhttp://Jernih.id)
Strategies and
Approaches Used by the Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani Campaign Team
In the context of the
political communication strategy, the campaign team of Al-Haris and Abdullah
Sani organized their program into four (4) stages: Pre-Campaign, Campaign H-7
Voting, and H+7 Voting. (Arni, 1995)
a. Pre-Campaign Stage
The pre-campaign program stage involves
activities presented and controlled by the election organizing body, in this
context, entrusted to the Regional General Election Commission (KPU - Komisi
Pemilihan Umum) of Jambi Province through the implementation of a single open
debate held on October 24, 2020.
b. Program During the Campaign
In the campaign phase, the success of the
Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani campaign team was categorized into three types of
work programs: face-to-face campaigns, the utilization of social media,
mainstream media, online media, and direct but limited open campaigns due to
the Covid-19 pandemic. This condition aligns with the statement made by H.
Bakrie (2023) during an interview:
"The campaign in the 2020 local elections
was very different from previous ones because in the 2020 election, we were
facing the Covid-19 pandemic. So, our campaign was very limited, unable to
gather large crowds. We focused more on face-to-face meetings and campaigns
through social media. All teams moved to every corner to conduct limited
campaigns, which were also attended by the candidates. The strategy was to
share campaign locations between the Governor and the Vice Governor because of
limited time and movement due to the Covid-19 situation. However, the spirit of
the entire team was commendable; they worked tirelessly. Interview with H.
Bakrie on June 26, 2023."
During the campaign process led by the
Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair, a series of approaches were implemented to
ensure success and persuade the people of Jambi Province at each stage of the
campaign. Here are two approaches employed:
a)
Push Marketing
Push Marketing is a
direct marketing process targeting voters. In this strategy, the Al-Haris and
Abdullah Sani campaign team implemented face-to-face campaigns and direct but
limited open campaigns. Face-to-face campaigns involved door-to-door meetings
with community leaders, dialogues, and interactions with various layers of
society and prominent figures in Jambi Province. Open but limited campaigns
were conducted at the homes of supporters who provided space for local
residents to engage in a dialogue with the Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair.
During this stage,
Al-Haris divided the electoral districts to be reached en
masse. There were two maps dividing the eastern region, specifically managed by
Al-Haris, who, being a former civil servant in the eastern region, was
considered capable of mobilizing political machinery through colleagues in the
bureaucracy in the eastern region. Meanwhile, Abdullah Sani managed the western
region, dominated by pesantrens (Islamic boarding
schools), making him suitable as he is a renowned NU (Nahdlatul
Ulama) cleric in Jambi Province (Sastradipoera, 1994).
Additionally, the
crucial role of the endorsing party, especially in the western region,
including Tanjab Timur, Tanjab Barat, Muaro Jambi, and
Batanghari, was highlighted. This area was heavily influenced by Islamic
parties, namely PKB and PAN. PKS dominated voters in the city of Jambi. The
coordinated political movements in these areas contributed significantly to
Al-Haris's victory.
During limited
meetings, Al-Haris listened to the aspirations and complaints of the people to
study and find the best solutions. These concerns were then incorporated into
the pair's work program. As expressed by Musri Nauli:
"In our
campaign, we used a more direct approach by being present in the midst of the
community to convey the programs that Al Haris and Abdullah Sani would
implement if entrusted by the Jambi community. There were several steps we took
at that time. Firstly, we visited community leaders so they would know what the
program of the Al Haris pair really was. So, we involved these community
leaders more because what they conveyed would be well-received. Secondly, what
the campaign team did was involve mothers in the village who had significant
influence in their communities. This was the strategy we employed to win Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani. Interview with Musri Nauli, Media Center Director, on
June 7, 2023."
b) Pull
Marketing
Pull Marketing is a political product
marketing strategy executed by using mainstream media such as television,
newspapers, billboards, and other media advertisements targeting voters. This
strategy is commonly employed by candidate pairs, especially in the current era
of information and technology advancement, with easy and rapid access to reach
voters or the general public. In terms of mass media, social media, and online
media, the Al-Haris Abdullah Sani campaign team maximized the use of various
media such as leaflets, calendars, and other campaign materials like T-shirts,
campaign pins, and stickers for homes and vehicles. The team also maximized the
use of online media portals to release information about their activities.
In this strategy, Al-Haris focused on using
Facebook and Instagram to secure votes from the youth in Jambi Province. For
the Jambi Province youth, Instagram and Facebook are still familiar social
media platforms for accessing election information. To capture the attention of
young social media users, Al-Haris packaged content in the form of short
animated videos that presented the pair's work programs in a simple and easily
understandable way for the young people of Jambi Province. Meanwhile, to attract
older voters, Al-Haris utilized mainstream media such as television with
periodic advertisements since the older generation still accesses information
through local television in Jambi Province.
As stated by Musri Nauli (2023):
"The use of social media, online media,
and other types of media is crucial for our campaign activities, considering
that in the 2020 elections, we were facing the Covid-19 pandemic. So, many
voters used social media and online media to follow the 2020 local elections.
Additionally, we maximized the use of other media such as banners, billboards,
stickers, and TV ads. One unique thing about Al Haris's team that other
candidates didn't have was a campaign in the form of a regional song. Moreover,
many young people, including students and various communities, voluntarily
participated in social media activities without our command. They moved based
on their own desires to promote the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair. Interview
with Media Center Director Musri Nauli on June 7, 2023."
c)
Pass Marketing
Definition of Pass
Marketing is a political product marketing strategy through the utilization of
secondary figures (secondary figures), namely organizations, institutions, or
groups considered to have a positive contribution in gathering the masses.
In facing the 2020
Regional Elections (Pilkada), the campaign team of Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani
approached influential figures in the community, both from party figures and
other local community figures, who were appointed as campaign spokespeople to
persuade voters (Abdul Asri, 2005). For the western
region dominated by pesantrens (Islamic boarding schools), the Al-Haris pair
appointed KH. Anwar Sadat as a campaign spokesperson because, in addition to
being an active regent from the PAN party, KH. Anwar Sadat is an Islamic
scholar and the leader of a pesantren, which undoubtedly gives him a close
relationship with several figures in the western region. Besides Anwar Sadat,
the Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair also appointed Abdullah Hick as a mover to
secure victory in the western region. Abdullah Hick is a former two-term regent
in Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency and a senior cadre of the PAN party in Tanjung
Jabung Timur. His presence is crucial to gaining votes from the community in
Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency and the Muhammadiyah community. Meanwhile, for the
eastern region, the Al-Haris pair engaged the Himpunan Jawa organization,
represented by Bapak Martono, who is the Chairman of the Association of
Javanese Community Abroad. This move is essential to secure votes in the
eastern region, which is predominantly inhabited by transmigrant communities.
In addition to the
individuals mentioned above, the coalition of supporting parties and total
supporters includes four parties: PKB (National Awakening Party), PKS
(Prosperous Justice Party), PAN (National Mandate Party), and Berkarya Party.
These parties supported the Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair based on their
track record and achievements, as stated by H. Bakrie (2023) in an interview:
"The
Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani pair indeed have characteristics that are
attractive, allowing them to attract major parties in the Jambi Province
without any doubt. In the end, there were three supporting parties and one
supporting party that rallied behind Al Haris, namely the National Mandate
Party, PKB, PKS, and the Berkarya Party. The reason we ultimately agreed to
support Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani is, first, both of them have a good track
record when leading before. Like Mr. Al Haris, his track record of development
in Merangin is quite good, and Abdullah Sani, besides being a renowned Islamic
figure in the Jambi Province, was also the former Deputy Mayor of Jambi. The
two of them are a complete package that is very suitable to lead the Jambi
Province." Results of an Interview with the Coalition Chairman, H. Bakrie,
on June 26, 2023.
Figure 6. Al Haris and Abdullah Sani
Friendship
with the Coalition party
Source: SigapNews.
In addition, the political marketing pass strategy to figures was also
implemented by the successful team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani both from
political party figures, Jambi community leaders, from academics and scholars.
This condition is in line with the exposure of Robert Samosir's opinion (2023),
namely:
"Jambi is a diverse province, so in the campaign we involve many
well-known figures to convey the great vision and mission of the Al Haris
couple. Starting from figures from political parties such as former Regents,
local community leaders of each region, religious leaders are also involved. We
believe that when these figures convey messages to the community, they are
easily accepted by the community because they already have their own experience
and closeness with the bottom community. Without their role, of course what we
do is not optimal, everything works together." Results of Interview with
the winning team's expert board, Robert Samosir on June 27, 2023.
Figure 7. Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani
Together
with Jambi Province community leaders
(Source: radardesa.com)
Another factor that played a role in
influencing the victory of Al Haris and Abdul Sani is related to the issue of
clean leadership publicized by the community during the regional elections (Pemilukada). The emergence of this issue led to controversy
within the community, as the previous governor of Jambi was arrested by the
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). This issue gained prominence on social
media, with people expressing a desire for Jambi to be free from corruption. Al
Haris addressed this issue in an interview session, stating:
"We cannot deny that the issue of
corruption has become a very hot topic in the community. When I went down to
the field to meet with religious and community leaders, they expressed their
concerns or conveyed messages about the condition of Jambi facing the
corruption disaster involving the Governor and several members of the Regional
People's Representative Council (DPRD). I assured them that we would be
committed to realizing a Jambi Province free from corruption. This is indeed
part of our program to clean up our bureaucracy in the future." Results of
an interview with Al Haris, Governor of Jambi, on July 5, 2023.
c. H-7 Election Day
During the H-7 election period and the
campaign silence period conducted by the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair, along
with several of their campaign teams, they refrained from engaging in
activities that could influence voters. However, their efforts focused on
instilling confidence in voters to choose a future leader for Jambi who could
bring about tangible change. During the campaign silence period, the Al-Haris
and Abdullah Sani pair initiated a campaign to clean their campaign
paraphernalia scattered at various points across the entire province of Jambi
simultaneously in each district and city. Al Haris (2023) stated:
"I conveyed to my entire team that during
the campaign silence period, we must adhere to the applicable regulations and
avoid any violations. During this period, we filled our time with positive
activities, such as a campaign paraphernalia cleaning movement installed
throughout the province of Jambi. I instructed all teams in districts and
cities to carry out this activity simultaneously. This is part of our efforts
to realize a safe, peaceful, and clean regional 
election." Results of
an interview with Al Haris on July 5, 2023.
Figure 8. Campaign team of Al Haris-Abdullah Sani cleaning campaign paraphernalia
(Source: http://Antara News Jambi)
d. H+7 Election Results
During the H+7 period, the
Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair achieved victory based on the plenary session
of the Jambi Provincial Election Commission (KPU) that reported that the
candidates were elected as regional leaders with a percentage of votes slightly
different from their rivals. This led the team to quickly conduct an evaluation
related to the campaign period they had gone through.
Figure 9.
Evaluation meeting of the campaign team of Al-Haris and Abdullah Sani
post-election
Source: Jernih.id
Obstacles Faced by the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani Campaign Team During
the Campaign
During the campaign period, the pair with
ballot number three, the campaign team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani,
encountered several obstacles in the field, both internally and externally, in
conveying their vision and mission among the public. The obstacles faced were
as follows:
a. Semantic Factor
In this semantic factor, the obstacle faced
was in the process of effectively conveying meaning or ideas to a highly
heterogeneous electorate. When the language used is not well understood by the
communicant, the message delivery process will not proceed as desired,
resulting in ineffective communication. The campaign team of Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani felt the impact of strong coordination and communication within
the campaign team, leading to occasional miscommunication between the
leadership and volunteers, as stated by Musri Nauli (2023):
"In the process of this regional election
campaign, we are aware that we will encounter obstacles in the field, such as
obstacles in the campaign team in the field. There have often been
miscoordination and communication issues within the team itself because many
people join, and sometimes there are many opinions, even though the goal is the
same. But this becomes a problem because when there is miscommunication within
the team, it will affect the work of the campaign team in the field."
Results of an interview with the Director of the Media Center, Musri Nauli, on
June 4, 2023.
b. Distortion of
Perception Factor
The factor of distorted perception or
premature conclusions drawn about others, this factor causes distorted
perceptions due to misconceptions resulting from narrow perceptions. The
campaign team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani admitted to facing difficulties
when trying to communicate a series of programs along with the candidate's
vision and mission to novice voters, as encountered in the field where these
novice voters had limited knowledge and minimal political education awareness.
This certainly had an impact on the campaign process in the field. This
situation is in line with the statement made by Musri Nauli (2023):
"At the beginning of the campaign period,
we faced difficulties in gaining the votes of young or millennial voters
because millennials nowadays access information more from social media. In
terms of seeking information about the regional election, they seem less
interested in speeches or face-to-face lectures. In the end, we followed their
wishes, campaigning for the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair through social
media, which is widely used by young voters." Results of an interview with
the Director of the Media Center, Musri Nauli, on June 7, 2023.
Political Communication Strategy of the Al Haris-Abdullah Sani Campaign
Team
In the political aspect, marketing activities
refer to the process of disseminating information related to the party,
candidate, and a series of programs implemented by various political actors
(communicators). This involves appropriate communication channels aligned with
the target orientation, carried out through efforts to change attitudes,
perceptions, behaviors, and knowledge of each
candidate, synchronized with the informants' desires.
These efforts align with the goals of
commercial marketing, involving stages of pricing and planning, promotion, and
distribution of various goods and services to facilitate exchanges for the fulfillment of organizational goals and individual desires
(Hafied Canggara, 2009). In
the subsequent phases of political marketing, four approaches are found:
Product, Place, Price, and Promotion.
The elements of the approach implemented by
the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair in their effort to solidify themselves in
the regional head election process in Jambi Province can be examined through
Product by conveying the vision and mission of each candidate and a series of
promised programs to create a better Jambi in line with their tagline
"Jambi MANTAP" (Solid Jambi). One prominent program representing
their "product" is the Dumisake Program
(Two Billion One Sub-district), where funds from the Jambi Province Regional
Budget (APBD) will be allocated to sub-districts, addressing issues like
inadequate housing, providing scholarships to the less privileged, supporting
SMEs, and providing agricultural tools. This flagship program is what Al Haris
and Abdullah Sani are selling to the people of Jambi.
The Place element in the approach utilized by
the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair to achieve success in the regional election
campaign involves the utilization of various media, including social media,
mass media, and online platforms. For the younger generation or novice voters,
Al Haris' team focuses on using social media platforms such as Facebook and
Instagram to promote their programs directly addressing the needs of novice
voters, such as scholarship programs.
Next is the Price element applied by the
candidate pair, involving efforts to gain party support, whether as the
supporting or endorsing party. Al Haris and Abdullah Sani received support from
several parties such as the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN) as endorsing parties with
seats in the Jambi Provincial DPRD (Regional People's Representative Council),
and the supporting party, the Berkarya Party. The
support from PKB, PKS, and PAN proved vital for Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in
their campaign activities due to the substantial and massive political
machinery of these three parties in the Jambi province, minimizing the campaign
costs for the candidate pair.
Finally, the Promotion element in political
marketing involves the efforts undertaken by Al Haris and Abdullah Sani's team
in designing campaign programs. Political Marketing is a narrower scope within
political communication, focusing on strategic, planned, and systematic
activities in the short and long term. Its primary orientation is to
disseminate political meaning to each voter (Hamad, 2008). To win the regional election, candidates and
their campaign teams must establish mature and accurate strategies to achieve
their ultimate goal. This aims to instill and shape
the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and hopes of
voters, hoping they will lend support through various dimensions and,
especially, focus their choice on a particular candidate.
Political Marketing approaches according to
Lees-Marshment's model, as described by Nursal (2008), include Product Oriented Party (POP), Sales
Oriented Party (SOP), and Market Oriented Party (MOP). From the research
conducted by the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani campaign team during the previous
regional election campaign, it can be identified that their marketing strategy
applied the Sales Oriented Party approach.
This approach is represented by the campaign's
design and strategy implemented by the candidate pair through observations and
the team's confidence. Additionally, the research analyzed
from the interview results indicated that the campaign team did not initially
involve market research. Several ideas originated from the internal concept
level and were then campaigned to each voter to provide them with the intended
image. During the campaign period, the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani campaign team
implemented three campaign programs: face-to-face campaigns, campaigns through
social media, and direct limited open campaigns (limited open meeting
campaigns). Furthermore, the formation of volunteers aimed to support the Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani pair was based on community initiatives, working under
the coordination of the campaign team to support the candidates' success.
Nursal classifies three strategies that candidate
pairs can use to implement political marketing: Push Marketing, Pull Marketing,
and Pass Marketing (Nursal, 2008). The Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani campaign team, in their campaign process, focused more on the
Push Marketing strategy. In this context, it can be observed through active
participation from both the candidate pair and their campaign team, volunteers,
and community figures in door-to-door campaigning, followed by dialogical
meetings and audiences with various people and figures in Jambi. They also
conducted visits to several markets in the Jambi province. They then organized
communal events. The Pull Marketing strategy employed by the Al Haris and Abdullah
Sani pair consisted of two types: mass media and online media, with social
media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter being prominent.
Finally, in the Pass Marketing phase, the success team applied a strategy by
involving campaign speakers from various parties to provide support and endorse
the pair, comprising four parties and using campaign speakers from local
figures, community figures, academic figures, and not forgetting religious
scholars deemed to have high selling points to attract and convince the people
of Jambi to choose Al Haris and Abdullah Sani as the leaders of Jambi Province
during the 2020-2024 period.
The issue of a clean Jambi, which became a
pro-contra matter among the people of Jambi, especially on social media, was
not caused by the campaign team but arose due to public sentiment. Based on the
research findings, these issues were not created to ease the path to victory
but were a result of the trust placed in Al Haris and Abdullah Sani by the
people of Jambi to win the 2020 regional election.
Barriers and Opportunities for Political Communication of the Al Haris
and Abdullah Sani Campaign Team
The aspect of noise is defined as
characteristics closely related to communication that can interfere with and
alter the perception of a message, causing the communication goals to not
proceed smoothly. According to Muhamad Mufid in his book "Communication
Regulation and Broadcasting," the definition of noise is the overall
aspects that can lead to message deviation or hinder message reception (Muhamad
Mufid, 2005).
During the political communication delivery
throughout the campaign period, obstacles were consistently encountered when
providing information related to the candidates' work programs and
vision-mission. The Al Haris and Abdullah Sani campaign team also faced a
series of obstacles both internally and externally. Internal obstacles included
Semantic Factors, such as the lack of solid coordination and communication
among the winning team, leading to misunderstandings among volunteers and
organizers. External obstacles encountered in the field included perceptual
distortion, i.e., misconceptions caused by narrow thinking of novice voters or
their lack of political education.
1)
Semantic Barriers
In delivering political communication during the campaign period, of
course, there are always obstacles in providing information related to the work
program and vision and mission of the candidate couple. The winning team of Al
Haris and Abdullah Sani also found several obstacles on the field both
internally and externally. Internal constraints are Semantic Factors, namely,
the lack of solid coordination and communication between the winning team, so
that several times there have been communication misses between management and
volunteers. While the external obstacles encountered in the field are
distortions of perception, namely errors caused by the narrow thinking of
novice voters or the lack of political education they get.
2)
Perception
Barriers
The factor of perceptual errors or premature conclusions
about others is one of the factors causing perceptual distortion. The confusion
is caused by narrow thinking in forming perceptions but is not accompanied by
an open mind to see the causality of the encountered facts. The Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani campaign team admitted to facing considerable difficulty in
conveying programs, vision, and mission to novice voters, as many novice voters
did not understand and lacked education about political education.
Political Communication Opportunities
Meanwhile, the opportunity for the winning
team lies not only in the public's interest in the vision and mission of the
candidate pair but also in the simplicity of both figures in the midst of
society. Moreover, the fact that Al Haris's partner is a renowned NU cleric in
the Jambi Province makes it easier to build political communication among NU
followers in the province. Additionally, the opportunity for the Al Haris and
Abdullah Sani pair lies in the highly competent political marketing movement
that can contribute significantly to the votes compared to their opponents.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings presented in this thesis, the following
conclusions can be drawn: In the political communication strategy implemented
by the campaign team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in the 2020 Jambi Provincial
Election, the team utilized a political marketing approach. They organized
their team's work program into four stages: 1. Pre-campaign period, 2. Campaign
period, 3. H - 7 Voting day, and 4. H+7 Post-election. During the campaign
period, the campaign team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani divided their work
program into three components: face-to-face campaigns, campaigns using social
media, and direct but limited open campaigns (in the situation of the Covid-19
pandemic). One key factor that contributed to the success of this pair and
attracted the people of Jambi Province was the Dumisake
program (Two Billion One Subdistrict), which resonated with voters. The Dumisake program directly addressed basic community needs
such as decent housing, free higher education for low-income families, and
support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM). Additionally, the pair
was perceived as simple and close to the lower-class community. Al Haris, born
into bureaucracy, was accustomed to serving the people, while his partner
Abdullah Sani was a renowned religious leader known for a simple life and
closeness to his congregation.
Meanwhile, in facing obstacles or challenges experienced by the campaign
team of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in the field, including semantic factors,
such as the lack of integration of coordination and communication among the
success team, leading to frequent misunderstandings among volunteers and
organizers. Another factor is the distortion of perception due to the lack of
political education among young voters, making it challenging to convey the
work program, vision, and mission to these voters. An opportunity for the
campaign team lies in the public's interest in the vision and mission, as well
as the track record of the Al Haris and Abdullah Sani pair, considered suitable
to lead Jambi Province. The campaign also benefited from a highly effective and
massive political marketing movement led by political figures, local community
leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and youth leaders,
contributing to the victory of Al Haris and Abdullah Sani in the 2020 Jambi
Provincial Election.
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