Despite Being Blasphemed Here And There, The Sirekap Application Is A Control Tool Against Alleged Election Fraud

Application for Electronic Recapitulation Information System or Sirekap during socialization and simulation activities using Sirekap in Aceh, Tuesday (30/3/2022). (Between/Ganta Tenri Mawangi/aa)

JAKARTA Sirekap, whose initial intention was to help the transparency of the election vote count, is now facing a very tough challenge. The urge for the use of the Sirekap application to be stopped continues to emerge.

It is the PDIP which has stated its rejection of the use of Sirekap in recording the 2024 election vote acquisition. Not only that, the party bearing the bull symbol also rejected the postponement of the recapitulation of votes at the sub-district level.

PDIP has issued a statement addressed to the General Election Commission (KPU) dated February 23, 2023. The letter was signed by the Chairman of the PDIP Election Winning Body (Bappilu) Bambang Wuryanto alias Bambang Pacul and PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto.

"PDI Perjuangan firmly rejects the use of Sirekap in the process of recapitulating the vote acquisition for the 2024 General Election at all plenary levels," the letter wrote.

In addition, PDIP also rejected the KPU's decision to postpone the 2024 election vote recapitulation process at the sub-district level. According to PDIP, the delay actually opened up loopholes for fraud in the stage of recapitulation of votes, and violated the principles of legal certainty, effectiveness and accountability of holding the 2024 General Election.

Based on KPU Decree Number 66 of 2024, Sirekap is an abbreviation of the Electronic Recapitulation Information System, namely an information technology-based application device as a means of publication of vote count results and the process of vote counting results as well as aids in the implementation of recapitulation of election vote count results.

The Sirekap application is a new system used in the 2024 General Election to replace the Election Counting Information System (Situng) used in the 2019 Election.

The emergence of Sirekap aim is a form of transparency in the KPU vote counting process. So Sirekap should make it easier for the public and the KPU to see fraud or mistakes if there is a number error in converting the C-1 form from the election vote acquisition results.

With Sirekap's presence, the public can report the data error to the KPU.

"If Sirekap doesn't work, it's impossible for anyone to report it, they can know," said KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari on February 15 at the KPU Media Center, Menteng, Central Jakarta.

But over time, the Sirekap application actually reaped the pros and cons. The series of reports that the application was problematic seemed to be non-stop. Thus, the public discussed the alleged inflating of votes and this was acknowledged by Hasyim Asy'ari. The most complaints occurred about the difference between the C-1 form of results and the result of Sirekap.

The error occurs when digitizing the form uploaded to the Sirekap application. The application will convert automatically from a document in the form of a photo to a counting number in digital form displayed on the 2024.kpu.go.id Election page.

These mistakes made the public suspect that there was a vote inflated for one candidate and another political party. In the aftermath, the call for the use of the Sirekap application to stop flowing. The KPU also had time to temporarily stop the Sirekap application some time ago.

The polemic of the Sirekap application made the former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD urged that the application be audited by an independent institution. The same thing was also said by political observer Dedi Kurnia Syah. He said the Sirekap polemic marked the failure of the KPU to hold elections and presidential elections openly. This situation, according to Dedi, undermines public trust and election participants in the KPU.

"Imbas dari banyak kekerasan Sirekap bisa saja memantik perusahan publik untuk dilakukan audit atas penyelenggaraan Pemilu," jelas Dedi kepada VOI.

"If it is proven that there is KPU intervention in fraud, or actions that result in candidates getting electoral benefits, then the government should be urged to cancel the results of the 2024 General Election, as well as replace all current KPU commissioners," added the Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO).

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati said that the KPU does not need to close the Sirekap application. According to Khoirunnisa, the closure of the application has no tools to monitor the implementation of the 2024 General Election.

"If Sirekap is closed, we don't have the control tools anymore, even though there are many initiatives, for example there is the Election Guard, Keep the Voice, and so on. They do have volunteers, but they cannot cover thousands of polling stations," he said, quoted by Antara.

The Sirekap application is actually a positive breakthrough from the KPU. However, if a number of problems are found on its way, the termination of the application is not the most appropriate solution because it can have a negative impact on the counting and recapitulation process of votes in the election.

Election transparency, which is the demand of the community, is threatened with minimization if this application is stopped. In addition, the termination of Sirekap also has the potential to provide space for fraud in the election, because there is no more monitoring from the public regarding the vote of the election.

Senior political observer Jambi University Nasuhaidi said, despite all its shortcomings, the Sirekap application should not have to worry about those who are fighting in the 2024 General Election. Basically, Sirekap is not a reference for the final results of the 2024 General Election, because it is still the main reference for the C-1 Plano form.

"Actually, you don't have to be too concerned either, but C-1 is the basic data for the KPU to make decisions," explained Nasuhaidi.

"So just go back to C-1, hold on to C-1 because it will be the basis for the KPU to make decisions, the key is in C-1," he continued.