1,923 TPS In West Papua Prone, Geographical, Security, And Electricity Spot Blanks

Election illustration. (Between)

JAKARTA - The Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) noted that 1,923 polling stations (TPS) in West Papua Province were categorized as vulnerable in holding the 2024 General Election.

West Papua Bawaslu chairman Elias Idie said there were 22 indicators of vulnerabilities in the 2024 General Election at thousands of West Papua TPS, referring to seven variables, namely the use of voting rights, security factors, campaigns, neutrality, election logistics, polling stations, and internet connections and electricity networks.

"The potential for vulnerabilities in TPS is found in all variables," said Elias in Manokwari, West Papua, Monday, February 12, which was confiscated by Antara.

TPS vulnerability indicators include permanent voters who do not meet the requirements but are still listed in DPT as many as 414 polling stations, there are additional voters at 192 polling stations, potential voters meet the requirements but there are 807 polling stations unregistered, and KPPS officers who are voters outside the domicile of the 49 polling stations where they work.

Then, 15 polling stations with a history of violence, 21 polling stations have a history of intimidation against election organizers, there was money politics during the campaign period around 31 polling stations, and the practice of inciting SARA issues between voters around 5 polling stations.

"If there are no indicators of KPPS officers campaigning for election participants directly," said Elias.

The next indicator, he said, was that 9 polling stations contained the involvement of ASN and TNI-Polri, 12 polling stations suffered logistical damage to the voting, 10 polling stations with excess/deficiencies and even no logistics, 14 polling stations were exchanged with ballots, 14 polling stations experienced delays in logistics distribution, and 43 polling stations were difficult to reach due to geographical, weather and security factors.

There are 37 polling stations located in disaster-prone areas, 20 polling stations near educational institutions whose students have the potential to have the right to vote, 22 polling stations near the factory area, 22 polling stations near the election participant winning post, 9 special polling stations, 205 polling stations constrained by internet connections or blank spots, and 178 polling stations constrained by electricity networks.

"Bawaslu is tasked with identifying and mapping potential election vulnerabilities," said Elias Idie.

West Papua Bawaslu member Menahen Sabarofek explained that seven variables and 22 indicators of TPS vulnerability were obtained from the 20-month surveillance database starting from the campaign stage, updating voter data, and all events during the 2019 election.

Mapping of vulnerable TPS in accordance with the direction of the Indonesian Bawaslu through Circular Letter Number 4 of 2024 concerning Identification of Prone TPS, the results of which are published so that all elements of society can be known.

"Bawaslu hopes that the community will participate in monitoring potential vulnerabilities," said Sabarofek.