The Return of Old Problems

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

A poll worker at polling station 46 in Pakujaya subdistrict, North Serpong, South Tangerang, shows invalid ballots while counting votes as part of the regional election in South Tangerang on Tuesday (9/12/2020). Poll workers took the initiative to wear hazmat suits to protect themselves and voters against Covid-19.

A number of issues in the 2020 regional head elections (Pilkada) had also emerged in previous elections. This serves as a reminder for the lawmakers and bureaucrats in a bid to improve the quality of the elections.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — A number of old problems remerged in the 2020 regional elections. These include, among other things, a lack of understanding among the poll organizers and voters, in addition to delays in election logistics distribution.

This was conveyed by the chairman of the General Election Commissions (KPU) Arief Budiman during a seminar entitled "Quick Evaluation into Pilkada 2020 " held by Gadjah Mada University’s Politics and State Administration Department on Friday (11/12/2020).

Besides Arief, there were also speakers from the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), Mochammad Afifuddin, and a lecturer at the UGM Politics and State Administration Department, Abdul Gaffar Karim.

According to Arief, a number of problems in the regional elections that still recurred during the 2020 regional elections, among others, were the late arrival or delay of the election logistics.

In the 2020 regional elections, the election logistics for eight districts in Yahukimo and one district in Yalimo, Papua, cannot be distributed until the voting day, 9 December. As a result, the voting in that area had to be postponed.

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The same thing happened in the 2018 regional elections. Of the 171 regions that organized the elections, the voting in Paniai and Nduga, Papua, at that time had to be postponed because of the late arrival of the election logistics.

Arief pointed out that there were still voters who sought help from other people to exercise their voting rights.

Another problem was the lack of understanding among the poll organizers and the voters of the voting process. Arief pointed out that there were still voters who sought help from other people to exercise their voting rights.

This incident resulted in revotes and a recount of the votes. Based on Bawaslu data, revoting was held at 58 polling stations in 17 provinces and vote counting was repeated at 48 polling stations in three provinces.

Afuddin said many polling station administrations did not display the final voters list (DPT). "The level of understanding and independence of the poll organizers in each region has a direct effect on the quality of voting and vote counting," he said.

Also read: Regional Elections Pose High Risk, Adherence to Health Protocols Crucial

In addition, there were also cases related to a shortage of ballots or the ballots of a region getting swapped with that of another region. Some people also used check marks to vote.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Poll workers from polling station 46 in Pakujaya subdistrict, North Serpong, South Tangerang, visit the homes of eligible voters unable to go to the polling station to exercise their voting right in the regional election in South Tangerang on Tuesday (9/12/2020). The poll workers wore hazmat suits to provide a sense of security for themselves and voters in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though there were shortcomings, Abdul Gaffar Karim assessed that the implementation of the 2020 regional elections was quite good. In fact, in terms of health protocols, implementation was better than previously thought.

Separately, a researcher from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Arya Fernandes, highlighted the preparatory process of the elections. Several days prior to voting day, for example, the KPU was still having trouble supplying the personal protective equipment in a number of regions.

Arya also highlighted the hasty formation of supporting regulations.

Law Revision

Deputy chairman of the House of Representatives Commission II, Saan Mustopa, of the NasDem Party faction, said there needed to be improvements in the law following the increasing number of single candidates in regional elections.

The Election Bill, according to the plan, not only regulates provisions related to the legislative and presidential elections, but also regional elections.

According to him, the House will consider this when drafting the Election Bill. The Election Bill, according to the plan, not only regulates provisions related to the legislative and presidential elections, but also regional elections.

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The increasing number of single candidates contesting the election, according to Saan, indicates a tendency for candidates to run in election by gaining support from many political parties.

Another issue that will also become a concern when drafting the Election Bill is the high potential for transactional politics and political dowry.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents are given an ink mark after voting at the 18 polling stations at SD Palumbonsari 1 state elementary school, West Karawang district, Karawang Regency, West Java on Wednesday (9/12/2020). The local office of the General Election Commission (KPU) in Karawang recorded registered 1,643,490 voters. In total, 4,451 polling stations were set up across 297 villages and 30 subdistricts.

The efforts to avoid the phenomenon of a single candidate and political dowry, said Saan, will be made by lowering the threshold for political parties in nominating the regional head candidate. The current regulation in Law No. 10/2016 on regional election requires a candidate to be nominated by a party/or group of parties that control at least 20 percent of the number of seats in the Local Legislative Council (DPRD) or 25 percent of the total votes in the last election.

Also read: Resolve Problems at Polling Stations

The next evaluation is the rise of kinship politics. This condition, according to Saan, cannot automatically be prohibited in the new regulation. Moreover, there is already a Constitutional Court ruling allowing it. "So, the recruitment process for political parties could later be arranged in the search for regional head candidates. For example, there must be clear track records and measurable political experiences,” he said.

Supporters attacked

In North Luwu regency, South Sulawesi, three houses belonging to the supporters of regent/deputy regent candidate Indah Putri Indriani-Suaib Mansur in Sidomukti and Patoloan villages, Bone-bone district, were attacked by unknown persons, at around 2 a.m. local time, on Friday.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

A poll official discloses count results at a plenary meeting on the recapitulation of count results for the election of mayor and vice mayor of the Surabaya city in Wonocolo district, Surabaya, East Java, on Friday (11/12/2020). Meanwhile, the plenary meeting for the recapitulation of count results for the entire city will be held on 15 Dec. 2020.

Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the North Luwu Police, Adj. Comr. Syamsul Rijal, explained that his side had investigated eight witnesses as of Friday afternoon. "We are still looking for the culprit," he said.(SYA/BOW/REK/JAL/FRN/ NIK/RTG/FLO/HRS/ESA/JOL)