KPU Pursues Strategic Decisions Today

The President asked the KPU to emphasize political education. Do not allow the people to be provoked by issues of identity politics

KOMPAS

President Joko Widodo inaugurated members of the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) for the 2022-2027 period.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A day after its inauguration, the 2022-2027 General Elections Commission (KPU) is to discuss the stages, programs and schedule for the 2024 general election with House of Representatives Commission II and the government. This forum is expected to reach a strategic decision before the House enters recess from 15 April to 16 May 2022.

In the House Commission II meeting on Wednesday (13/4/2022), the KPU, along with the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), the Elections Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) and the Home Ministry, is to discuss the planned KPU regulations (PKPU) on the electoral stages, programs and schedule.

“This week is the House’s final, as the [current] session ends on Thursday and recess begins on Friday. The next session will begin after the Idul Fitri holiday. We hope that we can come to a strategic decision with House Commission II at the meeting tomorrow [Wednesday],” said KPU chairman Hasyim Asy’ari on Tuesday (12/4) after the inaugural 2022-2027 KPU plenary meeting at KPU headquarters in Jakarta.

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During the plenary meeting, the new KPU members, who were installed at the State Palace in Jakarta, unanimously elected Hasyim as chairman. The seven KPU members inaugurated on Tuesday were Betty Epsilon Idroos, Hasyim Asy’ari, M. Afifuddin, Parsadaan Harahap, Yulianto Sudrajat, Idham Holik and August Mellaz.

Meanwhile, the five new Bawaslu members are Lolly Suhenty, Puadi, Rahmat Bagja, Totok Hariyono and Herwyn Jefler Hielsa Malonda. At the Bawaslu plenary meeting, Rahmat Bagja was elected as the Bawaslu chair.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Simulation of voting and counting votes for the 2024 General Election at the General Elections Commission office, Jakarta, Tuesday (22/3/2022). The KPU made a breakthrough by simplifying the ballot papers from five ballots (2019 Elections) to two and three ballots for the 2024 Election..

After their inauguration, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo asked the new KPU and Bawaslu members to immediately prepare for the 2024 general and regional elections. The KPU and Bawaslu were expected to coordinate directly with the House and the government. The government would lend its full support for the KPU and Bawaslu to fulfill their duties, primarily through their funding drawn from the state budget (APBN) and regional budgets (APBDs).

The President also asked the KPU to emphasize political education. “Do not allow the people to be provoked by issues of identity politics,” he said.

KPU’s main goal

Hasyim expressed hope that the KPU, Bawaslu, DKPP, the House and government could reach strategic decisions at Wednesday’s meeting to clarify the stages of the 2024 general elections that commence on 14 June 2022. This was a follow-up to a previous meeting confirming that voting day for the 2024 elections was Wednesday, 14 Feb. 2024.

The KPU must prepare the electoral stages 20 months prior to voting day. “I think this is the KPU’s main goal, to guarantee that the 2024 elections will be held on the agreed date,” said Hasyim.

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Legal certainty from an umbrella regulation on the electoral stages, said Hasyim, would support the organizers in their preparations. The KPU still needed time to prepare various things, such as on the elections’ technical implementation. If the PKPU on the 2024 electoral stages, programs and schedule was not thoroughly discussed during the meeting, Hasyim hoped to consult the House on the draft PKPU during the recess period. Discussions needed to be accelerated so they could all agree on the electoral stages.

House Commission II deputy chairman Luqman Hakim was optimistic that the PKPU would be finalized at Wednesday’s meeting. “It is possible, because this draft has been discussed since early 2021. Around 90 percent of it is complete, save for 1 or 2 [items],” he said.

Nurlia Dian Paramita, coordinator of the Voter Education Network for the People (JPPR), urged the KPU to complete the PKPU as soon as possible. She also reminded the KPU and Bawaslu to always maintain their professionalism as an independent institute as mandated by the Constitution. (DEA/WKM/INA/GAL)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.