R&D Research "Kompas": The Contrast Team Rewards Riding the Issue of the U20 World Cup to Raise Other Figures

A heated debate on social media took place between groups of supporting accounts and groups of counter accounts for Ganjar Pranowo due to the failure of holding the U20 World Cup in Indonesia. 

This refers to the results of Kompas R&D research regarding conversations by netizens on social media regarding the cancellation of the U20 World Cup in Indonesia and its relationship with the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo. 

Because, after the International Football Federation (FIFA) canceled RI from hosting the international sporting event, Ganjar was heavily attacked by netizens. The PDI Perjuangan politician previously loudly rejected the participation of the Israeli national team in the U20 World Cup. 

According to Kompas Research and Development research, netizen accounts from the anti-Ganjar camp made a number of political interpretations. 

The direction of the narrative is focused on PDI-P and Ganjar's blunders which are considered to have resulted in a decrease in vote acquisition in the 2024 election. At the same time, there are attempts by the anti-Ganjar camp to ride on the issue to raise a number of other names. 

"Uniquely, these counter accounts are quite clear on the issue of raising the names of figures supported in the content they upload," he was quoted as saying by Kompas.id. 

This effort can be seen from the hashtag campaign uploaded by accounts of the counter faction on social media such as #PrabowoDanUlama, #Setyoko2024, and #GanjarMencorengPDIP. 

However, these hashtags were successfully drowned out by accounts supporting Ganjar. When netizens were busy criticizing Ganjar, their supporting social media accounts were so aggressively raising positive hashtags like #GanjarHebat, #GanjarPresidenku, or #TegarBersamaGanjar. 

According to Kompas Research and Development, in the period March 28-April 3 2023, 1,020 hashtags #GanjarHebat appeared. Then, there are 578 hashtags #ganjarpranowo. 

No less massive, there are 378 hashtags #GanjarPresidenku. There are also 336 hashtags #PrabowoDanUlama, then 325 hashtags #TegarBersamaGanjar. 

The number of hashtags from Ganjar support accounts is considered effective because they are able to fill the top 10 most popular hashtags (top hashtags). 

However, netizens' negative sentiment towards Ganjar cannot be covered up. Netizens tend to imply disappointment to anger. 

"The syllogism of netizens who criticize this is relatively simple. If FIFA cancels the U20 World Cup in Indonesia because of the sentiments of the Israel National Team and Ganjar is one of the figures who refuse, Ganjar will result in the U20 World Cup failing to be held in Indonesia," wrote Kompas.id. 

Research related to netizen conversations was held by Kompas Research and Development from 28 March to 3 April 2023 through the Talkwalker application. The monitoring uses the keyword (query) "Ganjar" and the Indonesian language filter. 

In general, research shows that there are 156,000 conversations and 671,500 interactions among netizens from various social media channels discussing Ganjar and the cancellation of the U20 World Cup. 

As is known, the cancellation of Indonesia as the host of the U20 World Cup by FIFA resulted in chaos. 

FIFA did not mention in detail the reason for Indonesia's cancellation as the host of the international sporting event. However, these restrictions coincided with the massive rejection of the Israeli national team's participation in the U20 World Cup. 

Many regional heads, political parties and community organizations (Ormas) loudly voiced their opposition. Call it the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI), to the 212 Alumni Brotherhood. 

However, from a number of parties who rejected the participation of the Israeli national team, the figures of the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo, the Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster, and the PDI Perjuangan were the most highlighted. 

Ganjar has indeed become one of the regional heads who vehemently rejected the participation of the Israeli national team in the U20 World Cup. As a PDI-P cadre, he said, he must uphold President Soekarno's mandate to continue to support Palestinian independence. 

"We already know Bung Karno's commitment to Palestine, both voiced at the Asian-African Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Conference of the New Emerging Forces. So yes, we will follow his message," he said in a written statement, Thursday (23/ 3/2023). 

However, after it was announced that Indonesia was cancelled from hosting the U20 World Cup, Ganjar admitted that he was disappointed. 

"Yo, I'm disappointed! Wong, we have prepared from the start. There are only a few of my notes that we can continue," he said, Thursday (30/3/2023). 

Ganjar also doesn't question if he is now being attacked by netizens because he is considered to be one of the reasons for Indonesia's cancellation as the U20 2023 host. According to him, that is a risk from a decision.