Bawaslu: The Highest Election Insecurity Is In The Papua Region

Chairman of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Rahmat Bagja assessed that the highest level of election in the implementation of the 2024 General Election is in the Papua region.

"Grooographic constraints, security and those related to the distribution of ballots make the election vulnerability index in the region high," said Bagja, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 11.

According to him, there are local problems in Papua such as elections by using a noken system that requires optimal supervision.

In addition, according to Bagja, there is a New Autonomous Region (DOB) in the Papua region which needs special support in organizing elections.

"Bawaslu and the KPU have coordinated to resolve the issue. For the DOB, we will strengthen the organizers in the new area," he said.

According to him, Papua does have its own specialties in holding elections, including a large cost in its implementation.

He gave an example in 2019 there was a re-voting (PSU) in an area that has 91 voters and costs up to Rp2 billion because transportation to the village only uses helicopters.

"The area is in the mountains and between the two valleys," he said.

Bagja said that overall provinces that have an election vulnerability index are North Sulawesi, West Java, North Maluku, DKI Jakarta, and Papua.

He explained, specifically related to election violations in the form of hoaxes on social media and the like, the highest occurred in West Java and DKI Jakarta.

"This is our concern and coordinates with the National Police Headquarters in handling and preventing it," he said.

According to Bagja, the National Police Headquarters already has an election vulnerability index based on security. DanBawaslu also has its own election vulnerability index.

"We see overall including the implementation of elections, neutrality of the organizers, neutrality of ASN and others," he said.