Investigating Allegations Of Buying And Selling Letters In Malaysia, Bawaslu: Not Yet Investigated

Left to right Anggota Bawaslu Herwyn Jefler HM, Ketua Bawaslu Rahmat Bagja, Anggota Bawaslu Totok Hariyono dalam sidang pemeriksaan dugaan pelanggaran KEPP di Jakarta, Senin 29 Januari 2024. (ANTARA PHOTO-Sulthony H)

Chairman of the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Rahmat Bagja said his agency was still investigating the alleged sale and purchase of ballots for the 2024 General Election that occurred in Malaysia.

"This has not yet been investigated, but is still in the process of being investigated," said Bagja at the Election Organizers Honorary Council Building (DKPP), Jakarta, Monday, February 26, which was confiscated by Antara.

In addition, Bagja explained that currently the Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Gakkumdu) is conducting an investigation and filing because the alleged sale and purchase of election ballots in Malaysia has a criminal element.

However, Bagja has not been able to provide more detailed information regarding the development of the alleged sale and purchase of the election ballot.

"It's still under investigation, the process. It's a bit difficult for us to tell our friends," he said.

However, Bagja explained that initially Bawaslu traced the video circulating regarding the alleged sale and purchase of the election ballot.

"We will investigate the video circulating, we will investigate it. There is something interesting, but later. This is still in the series," he said.

Previously, the Migrant CARE organization reported allegations of buying and selling ballots during the 2024 General Election in Malaysia to Bawaslu.

Migrant CARE staff Muhammad Santosa explained that the mode of buying and selling ballots was to take advantage of ballots sent to the postal box on the apartment ladder without giving them to voters directly.

Santosa said ballot traders then took advantage of the ignorance of voters. The ballot traders deliberately targeted the postal boxes in a number of apartments.

"They deliberately searched from one box to another. Finally, from one, two, nine, ten, they collected a lot. Well, when they have collected a lot, they will secure it in one place," he said in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 20.

The 2024 election includes the presidential and vice presidential elections, members of the DPR RI, members of the DPD RI, members of the provincial DPRD, and members of the district/city DPRD with a national voter list (DPT) of 204,807,222 voters.

The 2024 election was attended by 18 national political parties, namely (according to the serial number) of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Gerindra Party, PDI Perjuangan, Golkar Party, Nasdem Party, Labor Party, and the Indonesian Gelora Party.

Next, Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), Partai Kebangkitan Nusantara (PKN), Partai Hanura, Partai Garuda, Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN), Partai Bulan Bintang (PBB), Partai Demokrat, Partai Solidaritas Indonesia (PSI), Partai Perindo, Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP), and Partai Ummat.

In addition, there are six local political parties as participants, namely the Aceh Nanggroe Party, the Atjeh Beusaboh Tha'at and Taqwa Generation Party, the Aceh Darul Party, the Aceh Aceh Party, the Aceh Prosperous Justice Party, and the Acehnese People's Independent Solidity Party.

Meanwhile, the presidential and vice presidential elections were followed by three pairs, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar number 1, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka number 2, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md. serial number 3.

According to KPU Regulation Number 3 of 2022, the recapitulation of the 2024 General Election is scheduled to take place from February 15 to March 20, 2024.