Worried About Disputes, KPU Proposes To The Government-DPR To Speed Up The 2024 Elections On February 21 21

JAKARTA - RI KPU chairman Ilham Saputra stated that his party had proposed to the government and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) that the 2024 general election (election) be held sooner.

Elections were supposed to be held on April 21. By the KPU, the election schedule should be moved forward to February 21.

"We want the holding of this election to be accelerated, to avoid a vacancy for the nomination of the regional head election (regional head election, ed)," Ilham said while giving a presentation at a virtual discussion event reported by Antara, Sunday, May 30.

Ilham explained that his party had carried out simulations to speed up the voting day in the 2024 General Election.

"If we continue to carry it out in April, we are worried that there will be a dispute over the election results, so there will be a problem if there is a decision by the Constitutional Court (MK) asking for a PSU (re-voting, ed) or a recount of votes, which will take time," he explained. .

Not only that, the KPU also proposed to the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives that the local elections be held on November 20, 2024. However, the two dates are still proposals and have not been discussed or approved by the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives, said Ilham.

According to Ilham, the change in date should be discussed further and the KPU will receive input from all parties, Ilham explained.

"Unlike 2024, in our opinion, (the 2024 election, ed) requires significant energy and costs as well as the attention of various election administrators," he added.

Related to that, Ilham conveyed that his party had submitted the proposal to members of the council during a hearing meeting with Commission II of the House of Representatives this week.

The DPR has also formed a team tasked with studying the KPU's proposal, one of which is related to efforts to advance the 2024 election date, Ilham added.

In the same discussion, the Executive Director of Perludem, Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati, asked the KPU to simulate the general election and regional elections which will be held in 2024 in a real and transparent manner.

Real simulation is needed so that there is an improvement in governance, especially in anticipating various risks that may occur during the 2024 General Election and Pilkada.

Reflecting on the 2019 election, more than 500 members of the voting group (KPPS) died due to fatigue while on duty.

“The results of an interdisciplinary study at Gadjah Mada University show that the officer (KPPS, ed) died, because there was no risk management. For example, when the officer wants to ask who there is a problem at the TPS (polling station, ed). [...] It must also be prepared,” said Khoirunnisa affirmed.