Encouraging Participation from the Beginning

Only six political parties have provided the complete documents required to partake in the 2024 general elections. Public participation during the elections must be encouraged from the political-party-registration phase.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Souvenirs from the General Elections Commission given to political parties registering participation in the 2024 General Election at the Central General Elections Commission (KPU) Office, Jakarta, Monday (1/8/2022).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Nine political parties have registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU) to partake in the 2024 general elections on the first-day registrations opened on Monday (1/8/2022). However, only six political parties have provided the complete required documents. The KPU was also asked to disclose all the required documents so that the public could monitor the process. Transparency is believed to increase public participation during the elections in addition to eliminating the potential for fraud.

As Kompas observed at the KPU office in Jakarta on Monday, the atmosphere on the first day of political parties’ registrations was high-spirited. Not only were political-party executives present to submit their required documents, but they were also accompanied by political-party members. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as the first political party to register, even brought a marching band accompanied by a line of PDI-P cadres, some of whom wore traditional attire from several regions. The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) also displayed the Betawi palang pintu (doorstop) tradition and exchange of pantun when PKS administrators arrived at the KPU office.

Apart from the PDI-P and PKS, the seven other political parties that registered were Nasdem, Perindo, the Justice and Unity Party (PKP), the Crescent Moon Party (PBB), the People’s Party for Justice and Prosperity (Prima), the Reformation Party and the Indonesian Sovereign State Party (Pandai). Political-party chairmen were among those who came to the KPU to register. This included PKS president Ahmad Syaikhu, Perindo chairman Hari Tanoesoedibjo, PKP chairman Yussuf Solichien and Pandai chairman Farhat Abbas.

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According to KPU member Idham Holik, the KPU immediately checked whether the registration documents submitted by the nine political parties were complete. Using the political-party information system (Sipol), only PDI-P, PKS, PKP, Perindo, Nasdem and PBB provided complete documents. “We are still processing the others,” said Idham.

For those whose documentation was declared complete, the KPU will immediately proceed with the administrative-verification process. In accordance to KPU Regulation No. 4/2022 concerning the registration, verification and determination of political parties participating in the House of Representatives and Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) elections, administrative verification can be carried out one day after the registration process. Thus, the process will be carried out from 2 August to 11 September 2022.

Until 14 August

Political parties have up until 14 August 2022, 11:59 p.m., to complete their documentation. The same timeframe also holds for political parties who wish to register as participants in the 2024 general elections.

In addition to the nine political parties that have already registered, there are ten other political parties that have confirmed their participation in the 2024 general elections with the KPU.

KPU chairman Hasyim Asyari explained that political parties that took part in the 2019 general elections and have met the parliamentary threshold or currently have seats at the House only have to undergo administrative verification. However, political parties that participated in the 2019 general elections but did not meet the parliamentary threshold as well as new political parties must undergo administrative and factual verification. This is in accordance with the General Elections Law and the Constitutional Court’s decision. The results of whether political parties have passed the administrative- and factual-verification processes and become official participants in the 2024 general elections will be announced on 14 December 2022.

DIAN DEWI PURNAMASARI

Members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) conducted a 1.6 kilometer long march from the PDI-P DPP Jalan Diponegoro to the General Election Commission building on Jalan Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, Monday (1/8/2022). PDI-P became the first political party to register as participants in the 2024 election.

Difficult requirements

According to Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) executive director Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati, it appears that the three political parties that have yet to complete their documentation are first-timers in the elections. New political parties face the challenge of meeting the requirements, which are both difficult and expensive. For one, political parties must have offices in every province, district, city and subdistrict.

Political parties are also required to have at least 1,000 members, or one per 1000 of the total population. Recruiting political party members is no easy task. New political parties that do not yet have supporters in the regions usually find it difficult to meet this requirement.

Apart from that, Khoirunnisa reminded the KPU to disclose all political party documentation that have been declared complete. Transparency is crucial for public participation and will allow the public to monitor the documents submitted by political parties.

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This can prevent mistakes made by political parties, such as duplicated data of party members and fictitious data such as the address of a political party’s office. Such mistakes were often found by the KPU during the administrative- and factual-verification process in the last election.

“The public also has the right to know because the KPU previously conveyed its commitment to disclose the data. Transparency can increase public participation in the elections. Election participation is not limited to voting day,” said Khoirunnisa.

The readiness of political parties

After registering with the KPU, several political-party executives stated that completing the registration on the very first day reflected their readiness to partake in the 2024 general elections.

PDI-P also sought to convey a message during the registration by submitting the data of specifically 477,777 PDI-P members to meet the requirement. “The figure 4 illustrates the number of seats we won, while 77 represents the anniversary of our republic. The third 7 in the figure represents those of us that are Javanese and hope to receive good pitu [seven], pitulungan [aid] and pitutur [sayings] to help us in the elections and achieve a hat trick as instructed by the chairwoman,” said Hasto.

Ahmad Syaikhu also stated that PKS is ready to take part in the 2024 general elections. He hopes that this election can run with honesty and fairness and strengthen the country’s democracy.

PBB secretary-general Afriansyah Noor also said that PBB was more prepared to compete in the 2024 general elections compared to the 2019 elections. PBB has improved its management, increased its number of members and offices in order to pass the administrative and factual-verification process to participate in the 2024 general elections.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.