At the beginning of 2022, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP UMSU) noted three essential things, namely building healthier and more effective political communication, focusing more on resolving People with Social Welfare Problems (PMKS), and paying more serious attention to budget absorption so that the wheel of development continues. And beneficial to society. The initial notes for 2020 resulted from a bit of discussion at the beginning of the year, which was held at the FISIP SosPol Laboratory Room Tuesday afternoon (4/1).
The Dean of FISIP UMSU Dr attended it. Arifin Saleh, S. Sos, MSP, Deputy Dean I Abrar Adhani, M.IKom, Deputy Dean III Yurisna Tanjung, MAP, Head of Social Welfare Study Program (Kessos) Mujahiddin, MSP, Chair, and Secretary of Communication Studies Study Program (IKO) Akhyar Anshori, M. IKom, and Faizal Hamzah Lubis, M.IKom, Head and Secretary of the Public Administration Study Program (IAP) Ananda Mahardika, MSP and Jehan Ridho Izharsyah, M.Si, Head of the SosPol Lab Sigit Hardiyanto, M.IKom and several other lecturers such as Sahran Saputra, M.Si, Fadhil Fahlevi, M.IKom, Agung Sahputra MAP.
“Like previous years, we at FISIP UMSU always deliver notes at the beginning of the year. In 2022, at least these three notes will become our recommendation to pay more attention to and be implemented by related agencies and their stakeholders,” said the Dean of FISIP, Dr. Arifin Saleh, S. Sos, MSP told journalists, Wednesday (5/1).
Meanwhile, according to the Head of the IKO Study Program, Akhyar Anshori, in the political context, in 2022, political communication at the elite and official levels must continue to be developed to be healthier and healthier, and more effective in supporting development.
This is because, several times, polemics and disharmony have occurred between officials and between institutions due to unhealthy communication. For example, the polemic between the Governor of Sumatera Utara and the Regent of Tapanuli Tengah, the Governor of Sumatera Utara and the Mayor of Medan, the disharmony between the Padangsidimpuan Pemko and the DPRD, the disharmony between the Labura Regency Government and the DPRD which had an impact on the discussion of the RAPBD.
“If we make political communication effective, we are sure these things will not happen. That is why, in 2022, we hope that political elites and government officials must be more constructive and continue to prioritize communication,” said Akhyar, pursuing his doctoral studies at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang.
Furthermore, according to the head of the Social Welfare Study Program, Mujahiddin, in 2022, especially in government and related parties must remain focused on solving People with Social Welfare Problems (PMKS) because this is still an ongoing problem. It can be seen from the records of the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs that there are at least 26 types of PMKS.
This problem occurs because of obstacles, difficulties, and distractions, so PMKS appears in poverty, neglect, disability, social disability, or sudden environmental changes that are less supportive or profitable. The poverty rate in Sumatera Utara has indeed decreased, but various other PMKS, such as neglected children, beggars, neglected older people, persons with disabilities, victims of acts of violence and trafficking, and victims of natural disasters, are still many.
“Of course, community empowerment is one of the keys. So, the provincial and district/city governments must continue to focus on handling this while cooperating with other parties and the business world,” said Mujahiddin, who is currently completing his doctoral degree from USU’s FISIP Development Studies.
Then, the head of the IAP Study Program, Ananda Mahardika, focused on his record regarding the low absorption of the existing budget in the provincial and district/city APBD in 2021. In the records and data he obtained, in November 2021, the average budget absorption was still around 62 percent. However, budget absorption in several districts/cities must still be below 50 percent.
“The low absorption of the budget will affect the development and welfare of the community. In 2022, something like that should not happen again. The government must finalize its planning and have the courage to implement it so that the budget in each regional budget can be realized,” explained Ananda, who is continuing his doctoral studies at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang.
