Please Elect Transparent Candidates

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU

Chairman of General Election Commission (KPU) Arief Budiman (front right) and gives the results of the election campaign fund audit reports to the Chairman of Elections Supervisory Agency  (Bawaslu) Abhan (front left) at the KPU Office, Jakarta, Friday (31/5/2019).

A recent finding that many candidates in the upcoming regional head elections had failed to report their campaign funds and accepted donations is quite surprising.

Out of the739 candidate pairs, 31 did not any funds in their campaign fund report (LDK) ,while 35 pairs also reported zero rupiah in their campaign fund donation report (LPSDK).

The initial LDK and LPSDK reports should contain the amount of donations received by the candidates from political parties or coalitions of political parties, individuals and other groups including private institutions.

Also read: Stronger Rules for Campaign Fund Reporting Needed

The finding, at least, suggests two possibilities. First, the 31 and 35 candidate pairs simply did not use and received funds from donations in their campaigns. Second, they received and used the donations for their campaigns but did not report them transparently, or they hide them or even made a false report.

Therefore, if a prospective leader fails to exemplify such principles during their campaign, that is a bad sign.

A democratic government demands people\'s participation, system transparency and accountability of its leaders. Therefore, if a prospective leader fails to exemplify such principles during their campaign, that is a bad sign.

The obligation to report initial campaign funds and campaign fund donations is one of the efforts regulated by law to maintain transparent and fair regional elections and to ensure the election of regional heads are competent and have integrity.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Residents cross the socialization banner for Pilkada of South Tangerang City, Banten, at the 2020 Pilkada Simultaneously in front of Serua Village, Ciputat, South Tangerang, Saturday (14/11/2020).

In previous elections, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) had found that much of the funds received by the candidates came from undisclosed sources The donations from large sponsors that are not disclosed has the potential to drag the candidate into corruption, if they are elected.

Democracy is instead hijacked to fulfill the interests of the people who have money and power.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) should be more active in publishing the recapitulation of the initial campaign funds raised by the candidates as of 26 Sept. 2020, the amount of the donations for campaign funds received as of 31 Oct. or the report on the receipts and expenditure of the campaign funds that must be submitted at the end of the campaign period on 6 Dec.

Also read: The Regional Elections and ‘Cukongkrasi’

The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) should carry out an investigative audit to ascertain whether the report is true or fraudulent. However, due to limited authority, at least this time around, voters can get information about candidates. Voters can impose sanctions on candidates who are not transparent by not voting for them.