Aria Bima PDIP Rejects KPU's Proposal To Become An Ad Hoc Body

PDI-P (PDIP) politician Aria Bima (DOK Diah Ayu/VOI)

PDI-P (PDIP) politician Aria Bima rejected a proposal from members of the Indonesian House of Representatives so that the status of the General Elections Commission (KPU) was changed to an ad hoc body. If you become an ad hoc, the KPU becomes a temporary institution formed within a certain period of time.

"How come I see the weight of the many tasks that exist for the central KPU, provincial KPU, and the city/district KPU, it is not appropriate for this KPU to be in a hot body," Aria told reporters, Sunday, November 24.

The Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR RI assessed that the KPU was actually not only tasked with holding general elections. The KPU must also carry out its role in finalizing the readiness of the democratic process in the country.

"It is better to increase the tasks, empowerment, awareness of the awareness of roles, or the level of voter competence," said Aria.

The KPU, he continued, needs to increase public awareness to participate in using its voting rights in democratic contestation. Not only that, but the KPU also needs to increase the maturity of the election participants before the election takes place.

"For candidates, legislative candidates, executive candidates, this is a long time to prepare. Being a member of the legislature to work on the regional budget, the central budget, this is not easy," said Aria.

"If necessary, short courses, one month, two months, are held for legislative candidates and executive candidates. Those are tasks that need to be reproduced in the democratic process," he added.

Member of the Legislation Body (Baleg) of the DPR RI Saleh Partaonan Daulay proposed that the General Elections Commission (KPU) only become an adhoc institution which was only held for two years to prepare and implement elections.

According to him, proposals are needed so that the state can save the budget, especially when the KPU is not in the election years. Because, according to him, the stages of elections that are held simultaneously can be completed within two years.

"So we are thinking about thinking in the DPR, instead the KPU is only an adhoc institution, only for two years. Why should we spend most of our state money," Saleh said during a hearing between Baleg DPR RI and three institutions/organizations at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Thursday, October 31.

He considered that so far the KPU had only carried out a number of technical guidance activities (bimtek) in the third, fourth, and fifth years, after the election. He also doubts about the technical activities.

"They just come to Jakarta, I know exactly. Soon the technical guidance will come to Jakarta, I don't know what it is," he said.