The Old Story of the General Elections System

The same old story repeats. This is the impression, as we observe the discourse about the application of the open or closed proportional system in Pemilu (general elections) 2024.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

The process of simulating the voting and counting of votes for the 2024 election at the General Elections Commission office, Jakarta, Tuesday (22/3/2022).

It is so called because the issue almost always appears since the time of the general elections in the Reform era, with arguments over its advantages and disadvantages that have not changed much.

The closed proportional system, in which voters only elect parties and elected legislative members are determined by parties based on the votes gained by parties, was applied in the New Order era and in Pemilu 1999. In Pemilu 2004 up to 2019 the open proportional system was used. In this system, voters can elect parties or legislative candidates. Elected legislative members are determined by the votes they gain and those garnered by parties.

Also read:

> Majority of House Factions Oppose Closed-List Proportional System

> 2024 Political Party Contestation Toughens

The experience in using the two systems becomes the reason for supporting or criticizing their application in the general elections. The open proportional system is said, among others, to give rise to high-cost politics. It is because many legislative candidates use money to win their competition, even with fellow legislative candidates within one party. This condition becomes one of the factors encouraging the practice of corruption. The system is also said to offer more opportunity to popular legislative candidates than to quality ones.

Meanwhile, the closed proportional system makes voters act like buying a pig in a poke. The very big role of parties in determining legislative candidates also raises the fear of the practice of corruption within them. The relationship between elected legislative members and voters after general elections is also feared to be less optimal than that in the case of the open proportional system.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

A KPU official shows samples of ballots with a simplified design during a simulation of voting and counting the 2024 elections at the General Elections Commission office, Jakarta, Tuesday (22/3/2022).

The negative impacts of both systems of general elections are actually due to the same thing, which is the condition of political parties in the country. The way of overcoming the problem is also the same, which is requiring political parties to reform themselves so as to be able to execute their function properly, such as in the case of recruitment and cadre building.

Quality cadres will be easier to secure if recruitment and career ranking within parties are conducted transparently and democratically. The open funding of parties will also help prevent their cadres from corruption. A strong ideology in each of the parties will give voters a clear idea of the paths of struggle of the legislative candidates or parties they elect.

Also read: The First Test for the KPU

This is what is now more expected from political parties, especially by the time of compilation of the list of legislative candidates for Pemilu 2024, rather than the recurrent polemic about the system to be used in the next general elections.

Some efforts have indeed been made by several parties, such as by opening cadre schools. However, they should be undertaken more massively, systematically and transparently, including their funding.

When this is practiced, whatever general election system is applied. The chance of securing quality legislative members in the upcoming general elections will open wider. The lofty spirit and statesmanship of the party elite serve as the key to its realization.

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.