DPR Speaker: 2024 Election Must Be Better Prepared

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro (KUM)

Puan Maharani, The speaker of the House of Representatives 2019-2024

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, reminded the General Elections Commission (KPU) to better prepare the various stages of the 2024 general election to avoid the shortcomings of the previous election.

With an agreement on the 2024 election date, the House hopes the public will end speculations about a rumored extension of the presidential term or the postponement of the election.

"This means that through the agreement of the date for the legislative and presidential elections, the election organizers must prepare for the 2024 election stages," Puan said on the sidelines of a visit to the Kompas editorial office in Jakarta on Tuesday (25/1/2022).

The House Commission II, the Home Ministry and election organizers agreed in a working meeting on Monday (24/1) that the 2024 election would be held on 14 February 2024 and the simultaneous regional elections on 27 November 2024.

"Preparations for the 2024 election should be improved so that we can avoid the same mistakes that occurred in the previous election [and ensure] the people's constitutional rights can be fulfilled," said Puan.

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In the 2019 election, hundreds of election officials died while carrying out their duties on voting day, mostly from exhaustion. The public was also divided.

Puan emphasized that the House would continue to support the 2024 election stages, especially in terms of their budget, so that each stage can proceed smoothly. The state must also guarantee the constitutional rights of the people by providing guarantees for the implementation of direct, general, free, secret, honest and fair elections.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Flags of political parties participating in the 2019 General Election at Jalan Kramat Raya flyover, Senen, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (5/3/2019).

Campaign period

KPU chairman Ilham Saputra said the KPU's draft regulation regarding stages, programs and schedules would be discussed again by the KPU. With regard to a request made by several members of the House and the government to shorten the campaign period from the 120 days proposed by the KPU, according to Ilham, this depends on regulations made by the President or the government. Regulations on campaign periods are also related to the procurement and distribution of election materials, he added.

The chairman of the House Commission II, Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, said lawmakers proposed to shorten the campaign period because the conventional campaign method through physical meetings was deemed no longer effective. Meanwhile, campaigns using technology could reach a greater number of voters, he added.

Doli said the 2024 election stage, which is set to begin in July, could be postponed to at least the end of 2022 by setting back the stages related to political activities and using the initial stages for internal activities.

"This is good for a national journey, meaning it would be good if 2022 does not become a political year. The government can focus on overcoming the pandemic without being disturbed by the entry of the political situation due to the start of the election stage," he said.

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Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati, the executive director of the Association for Elections and Democracy, said the Elections Law did not stipulate that campaigns must last 120 days. However, Article 276 (1) of the Elections Law stipulates that campaigning must begin three days after the nomination of candidates.

The registration of prospective presidential candidates is regulated in Article 226 (6), namely eight months before voting day.

“If we want campaigns to last just three months, then the determination of candidates can be done three months after registration. However, there are consequences that must be anticipated," she said.

For example, said Khoirunnisa, after the candidates were determined, disputes were usually submitted; would there be enough time to resolve these disputes?

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.