The KPU Urges Coalition To Immediately Complete The Regulation Of The 2024 Election Contesting Campaign Fund Donation Report

Illustration of campaign attributes or props is installed on public roads. (ANTARA-Prasetia Fauzan)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society Coalition for the Integrity Election asked the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to ensure that the General Election Commission (KPU) regulates the provisions for submitting reports on the receipt of campaign fund donations (LPSDK) by 2024 election participants in the KPU Regulation (PKPU). "Bawaslu is obliged to ensure that KPU regulations continue to regulate LPSDK that have been applied in the 2014 and 2019 elections," said Valentina Sagala as a coalition representative consisting of 146 civil society organizations at a press conference at the Bawaslu Media Center, Jakarta, Monday 19 June, confiscated by Antara.The request, continued Valentina, had been submitted directly to Bawaslu Chair Rahmat Bagja before they held a press conference. Furthermore, he conveyed the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Coalition for the Election of Integrity urging Bawaslu to issue recommendations to the KPU to immediately complete the regulation of campaign reports and funds. In addition, Bawaslu was asked to ensure that the public have sufficient time in responding to campaign reports, both initial campaign fund reports (LADK), LPDK, and campaign fund receipt reports (LPPDK). According to Valentina, the provisions on the submission of LPSDK need to be regulated by the KPU in the PKPU because it becomes one of the important instruments for voters to take political decisions on voting days. Previously, the civil society coalition had an audience with the KPU at the KPU Office, Jakarta, Tuesday 6 June, represented by KPU member Idham Holik.

On this occasion, they asked the KPU to continue to regulate the provisions for the submission of LPSDK by election participants in PKPU. According to Valentina, although the KPU said it would accommodate the submission of LPSDK through the Campaign Fund Information System (Sidakam) application, the provisions requiring 2024 election participants to submit the report must still be contained in the KPU Regulation (PKPU) regarding the 2024 Election Campaign Fund Reporting.

Next, the civil society coalition asked the KPU to open access to public information on campaign funds adequately, including access to information in Sidakam in a format that is easily accessible to the public. Previously, the KPU submitted the steps to remove the bookkeeping and submission provisions of LPSDK from election participants to the KPU for the 2024 Election in the Commission II Hearing Meeting (RDP) of the DPR with the KPU, Bawaslu, the Election Organizer Honorary Council (DKPP), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday 29 June. LPSDK was removed because it was not regulated in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections (UU)," said Idham on that occasion. In the 2019 Election, as regulated in PKPU Number 34 of 2018 concerning Election Campaign Funds, the KPU required each election participant to submit LPSDK. However, in the 2024 Election, the KPU removed that provision in the PKPU Draft on Campaign Fund Reporting. In addition to the LPSDK not regulated in the Election Law, the KPU abolished the provisions because the 2024 election campaign period was shorter than the campaign period in the 2019 election which lasted for six months and three weeks. "In short, the campaign period resulted in the difficulty of placing the LPDK submission schedule. As regulated in Appendix I PKPU Number 3 of 2022, the campaign period will start on November 28, 2023 and will be terminated on February 10, 2024," he said. The KPU also decided to remove the provisions for the submission of LPSDK by election participants because information regarding the receipt of campaign funds has been published in the LADK and LPDK.