Often Muncul Saat Pendaftaran Caleg Papua Barat, KPU Mitigasi Isu Politik Indentity

Illustration. Workers assemble ballot boxes in the warehouse of the Padang City KPU, West Sumatra, Monday 11 February 2019. (ANTARA-M Personal Arif)

The General Election Commission (KPU) of West Papua Province has increased consolidation between institutions in the region to prevent identity politics in the 2024 General Election. West Papua General Election (KPU) Chairman Paskalis Semunya said the dynamics of identity politics were not seen but it was necessary to mitigate it as early as possible so that elections would be carried out properly and smoothly.

"Institutionally we consolidate with institutional partners," said Paskalis in Manokwari, West Papua, Tuesday, February 7, confiscated by Antara. He explained that the consolidation between institutions carried out included coordinating with political parties, local governments, the Prosecutor's Office, TNI/Polri, West Papuan People's Assembly, community leaders, customs, and religion.Mitigation of political issues of identity is a priority in addition to preparing all stages of implementation of the 2024 General Election. "The concern about identity politics must be responded to by all parties," he said. According to Paskalis, information on the specificity of indigenous Papuans can develop into a political issue of identity if not properly managed. The information tends to appear when the requirements for nomination of legislative members are verified by election organizers. "If the regional head election is clear, there must be regulations for indigenous Papuans," he said.

The KPU, he said, is aggressively educating and disseminating to the public in order to understand that every Indonesian citizen has the right to participate in the election contestation. The citizen is given the opportunity to run for a member of the DPR RI, provincial or district/city according to the electoral district as evidenced by an electronic KTP. "So as not to misunderstand the special quota in the election, because there is a seat representing the Otsus DPR," he said.

He said that political parties have the full authority to determine cadres of indigenous Papuans to fight in democratic parties. "However, it should be noted that general elections are a national agenda so that the nominated individuals must have the perspective of the Republic of Indonesia. "If you want to carry indigenous Papuans, please, but Papuans who are excited nationally," he explained., he said, the number of seats in the West Papua DPR that will be contested by political parties in the 2024 General Election is 35 seats. Paskalis also hopes that the provincial government will immediately complete the draft special regional regulations (Raperdasus) to accommodate candidates for members of the special autonomy DPR or the path of appointment.

This is in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua.