President Jokowi Accelerates Surpres To Replace KPU Chair

President Joko Widodo greeted the children who greeted him when he arrived at Istora Papua Bangkit, Jayapura, Tuesday (23/7/2024).

PAPUA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has accelerated the administrative process of drafting a Presidential Letter (Surpres) regarding the replacement of the Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) to be submitted to the DPR RI. This statement was conveyed by Jokowi on the sidelines of a review of the services of Posyandu Rajawali 3, Jayapura Regency, Papua, in response to the statement of Commission II of the DPR which until now has not received a presidential decree regarding the appointment of a new KPU chairman to replace Hasyim Asy'ari. "That's an administrative process. When it's finished, it's finished, we'll speed it up," Jokowi said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, July 23. However, when asked further about the deadline for completing the Surpres, President Jokowi chose to remain silent and leave the interview location with the media crew. As previously reported, President Jokowi dishonorably dismissed Hasyim Asy'ari from the position of member and chairman of the KPU for the 2022-2026 term of office, through Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 73 P issued on July 9, 2024. The dismissal, which has been in effect since Tuesday (9/7), was carried out after Hasyim was proven to have committed immoral acts as decided by the Election Organizers Honorary Council (DKPP), in accordance with Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections. Hasyim's position was removed after being proven to have committed an ethical violation for sexually assaulting a member of the National Election Committee (PPLN) of The Hague, Netherlands. Chairman of Commission II of the DPR Ahmad Doli Kurnia told reporters at the DPR RI complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday (22/7), that they had questioned the Surpres file for the replacement of the KPU chairman which had not been received by his party.

The Deputy General Chairperson (Waketum) of Golkar assessed that the appointment of the new KPU chairman after Hasyim's dismissal should be carried out immediately so that the anti-corruption agency's performance continues to run optimally.