<![CDATA[This study analyzes the forms of political representation embodied by Alfiansyah Bustami “Komeng” as a member of the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) through public perceptions expressed in social media comments. The theoretical framework employed in this research refers to Hanna Pitkin’s four dimensions of representation. The data were collected from comments posted on a YouTube video entitled “KOMENG MODE PEJABAT” and were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings reveal that substantive representation is the most dominant dimension, followed by descriptive, symbolic, and formalistic representation. The public places high expectations on Komeng’s concrete performance in advocating for the people’s aspirations, while also associating his presence with a symbol of hope and renewal in the political sphere. These findings indicate that the combination of popularity, personal closeness, and work integrity constitutes an important factor enabling celebrity-politicians to gain public legitimacy and succeed in political contestation. In the context of digital democracy, celebrity politics as represented by Komeng demonstrates positive potential in broadening the spectrum of representation and increasing public engagement with representative institutions.]]>
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