JAKARTA - The Director of the Democracy and Election Empowerment Partnership (DEEP) Indonesia, Neni Nur Hayati, said that the controversy over the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) diploma would not drag on if the General Election Commission (KPU) chose to be open from the beginning.
Because, the principle of public information openness is clearly regulated in Law Number 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure.
The KIP Law stipulates that every public body is obliged to disclose information related to public interest, except for information that is expressly excluded by law.
"If the Public Information Commission has decided that a document includes open information, then legally the decision is binding and should be the basis for the relevant public body, including the KPU, to follow up on it according to the applicable mechanism," said Neni, Sunday, January 18.
He emphasized that openness of information is the key to ensuring legal certainty, transparency, and accountability of state administrators. This is because these three principles are very important to maintain public confidence in the democratic process.
According to him, the controversy over Jokowi's diploma has developed due to limited access to information which has triggered speculation among the public.
Neni stated that if from the beginning the KPU had conveyed the results of factual verification publicly, the public debate would not have lasted for a long time.
"Since the beginning of the controversy, Jokowi's diploma will not drag on like this if the KPU is also open to conveying the results of factual verification. When it is closed, it will cause public suspicion," he continued.
He said that if there were restrictions on access to certain documents, the KPU should explain publicly the legal basis and policy considerations used.
This step is considered important to avoid various interpretations and prejudices in the public space.
Therefore, Neni hopes that openness of information can be a way out to end the controversy over Jokowi's diploma as well as strengthen public confidence in the election organizing institution.
"I hope the KPU can open it up so that this case can be completed immediately with transparency and accountability," he said.
Previously, the Central Information Commission (KI Pusat) stated that a copy of Jokowi's diploma used in the presidential nomination in 2014 and 2019 was public information.
The ruling was issued after the Central KI granted the request in the public information dispute filed by public policy observer, Bonatua Silalahi, against the KPU RI.
With this ruling, the KPU is obliged to submit a complete copy of Jokowi's diploma in accordance with Bonatua's request.
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