The Chairperson Of The KPU Proposed That The Regional Head Election Budget Be Sourced From The State Budget

KPU chairman Mochammad Afifuddin (ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi)

JAKARTA - KPU chairman Mochammad Afifuddin suggested that in the future the budget for holding Regional Head Elections will come from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

According to him, the proposal is based on the evaluation records of the implementation of regional elections from the ranks of the regional KPU. The reason is, there are regions that have a large budget and on the other hand there are regions with a small budget.

"One of the differences between the election budget and the regional elections, this election budget is in the state budget, regional elections are, now this is our note," Afifuddin said in a Public Discussion on the Revision of the Election Bill Package organized by the Democratic Party at the DPP Office. Democrat, Jakarta, Monday, May 19.

Sometimes, said Afifuddin, there are areas that have the convenience of having a large budget because the KPU in the area is in good contact with regional heads who are re-nominating in the Pilkada. On the other hand, there are also KPUs who are troubled in preparing the budget.

"This is our evaluation and recommendations from many parties, what about the regional election budget in the state budget, so that the value unit is the same," he said.

Afifuddin gave an example in 2024, there are KPU ranks in the regions who need to lobby local governments regarding the Pilkada budget disbursement.

At the same time, his staff are also preparing for the General Election in February 2024. That way, according to him, the focus of the election organizers will be divided.

"If the budget is from the state budget, at least I don't think about it anymore because it has been completed," he said.

Afifudin said the proposal came from his view as an election organizer.

According to him, changes to the rules or revisions of the Election Law package also need to be heard from various aspects, including participants, to voters.

"Essentially, this election has field practices that are sometimes more advanced than what we regulate, so it is important that we hear the perspective of participants," he said.