KPU Clarifies Letters In Taiwan Distributed Earlier

Chairman Of The Indonesian KPU Hasyim Asy'ari At The Indonesian KPU Office, Jakarta, (Between)

Chairman of the Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari stated that the distribution of the 2024 Election ballots to voters in Taipei, Taiwan violated the rules.

"This could be a problem, because the delivery is not on schedule," said Hasyim at a press conference at the Indonesian KPU Office, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, December 26.

Based on KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 25 of 2023 concerning Voting and Counting in General Elections, there are three methods of choosing for voters abroad, namely Overseas Voting Points (TPS), mobile ballot boxes (KSK), and postal methods.

Still according to PKPU Number 25 of 2023, continued Hasyim, sending ballots to voters through the postal method starts on January 2 to 11, 2024. However, the Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) in Taipei turned out to have sent ballots to voters on December 18 and 25, 2023.

The total PPLN in Taipei has sent 31,276 ballots for the election of the DPR RI and presidential and vice presidential candidates (candidates-cawapres), respectively. Then, there are still 143,869 ballots for each election of the DPR and the presidential and vice presidential candidates.

The KPU itself only clarified to PPLN in Taipei regarding this error after it went viral or was excited on social media about a video of voters in Taiwan claiming to have received a ballot.

Therefore, Hasyim revealed that the KPU had taken four actions against this error. First, the ballot that has been sent to voters in Taiwan is declared to be categorized as damaged and not accounted for.

"Why? Because it was sent before the time. Thus, it is not in accordance with the stipulated provisions," he said.

Second, the KPU will send a replacement ballot to PPLN in Taipei according to the number that has been sent to voters before January 2, 2024. Third, ballots that have not been sent will be sent after the schedule set, namely January 2, 2024.

Fourth, the broken ballot will be marked if it is returned to PPLN. At the same time, the replacement ballots and ballots that have not been sent will also be marked to distinguish them from the ballots that have been sent.

He revealed the reason PPLN in Taipei decided to send a ballot letter to the post method earlier because voters in Taiwan were dominated by migrant workers so that licensing for their holidays was different.

In addition, the Chinese New Year in Taiwan will also be celebrated on February 8 to 14, 2024 so that the post office will not be able to send a ballot back at that time.

"So, it can be said that the inaccuracy of the Taipei PPLN is that there are provisions in KPU Regulation Number 25 of 2023 that the delivery schedule has only started from January 2 to 11, 2024," explained Hasyim.

"What they are worried about is the matter of sending back from voters to PPLN. In fact, if it is calculated, there is still time," he continued.

He said, for this error, the KPU had taken three actions. First, the KPU asked 128 PPLNs spread throughout the world to pay attention to the guidelines for provisions in laws and regulations related to elections.

Second, if there are special situations where PPLN then faces a problematic situation so that it immediately reports to the central KPU. "Thirdly, the KPU asks PPLN to work with full responsibility so as not to make decisions that are beyond its authority," concluded Hasyim.

The KPU has received registrations for three presidential-cawapres candidates, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md, and Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

The election campaign period is set from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, while the voting is scheduled for February 14, 2024.