While Apologizing, The KPU Revokes The Rules To Secret The Candidates That Make It Noise

Illustration of the central KPU building in Jakarta. (Between)

The General Election Commission (KPU) of the Republic of Indonesia has decided to cancel KPU Decree Number 731 of 2025 concerning the Determination of Requirement Documents for Candidates for President and Vice President as Public Information Excepted by the General Elections Commission.

Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Mochammad Afifuddin said that this revocation was determined after holding an internal meeting to respond to public reactions that criticized the KPU's decision to keep the candidates and vice presidential requirements a secret, such as diplomas and other documents.

"Finally, we institutionally decided to cancel KPU's decision no. 731 of 2025 concerning the determination of the required documents for the presidential and vice presidential candidates as public information that was excluded by the KPU," Afif said at the KPU RI Office, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, September 16.

For this, Afif apologized because the decision of the election organizers recently caused a commotion in the community, even causing negative prejudice in the interests of a handful of parties.

"The KPU also apologizes for the situation of great fanfare which there is absolutely no resistance at all at the KPU to do things that are considered beneficial for certain parties," Afif said.

Afif realized that basically the public has the right to obtain all information from the KPU. This is because this is regulated in Law Number 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure (KIP).

"We continue to follow the relevant regulations, for example, related to the provisions in the law on the disclosure of public information. As a practice later, for example, related to the clause regulated in Article 18 Paragraph 2 of Law 14 Number 2008, for example, information that is excluded can be disclosed, among others, because the secret party is revealed to have given written agreement," he explained.

Previously, the General Elections Commission (KPU) decided to exclude a number of requirements documents for presidential and vice presidential candidates (candidates-cawapres) as public information.

Dalam keputusan tersebut, beberapa dokumen persyaratan capres-cawapres sebagai informasi publik yang dikecualikan antara lain:1. Fotokopi kartu tanda penduduk (KTP) elektronik dan foto akhiran warga negara Indonesia.

2. Surat keterangan catatan kepolisian (SKCK) dari Headquarters Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia.

3. Health certificate from the government hospital appointed by the General Elections Commission.

4. Certificate of receipt or proof of submission of personal assets reports to the Corruption Eradication Commission.

5. The certificate is not in a state of bankruptcy and/or has no debt responsibilities issued by the district court.

6. The statement letter is not being nominated as a member of the House of Representatives, the Regional Representative Council, and the Regional House of Representatives.

7. Photocopy of the taxpayer's main number and proof of delivery or receipt of the Annual Tax Return of Individual Taxpayers for the last 5 years.

8. List of life history, short profile, and track record of each prospective candidate.

9. A statement letter has never served as President or Vice President for 2 (two) times of office in the same office.

10. A letter of loyalty to Pancasila as the basis of the state, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and the ideals of the Proclamation on August 17, 1945, as referred to in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

11. A certificate from the district court stating that every prospective candidate has never been sentenced to prison based on a court decision that has obtained permanent legal force for committing a crime that is threatened with imprisonment of 5 years or more.

12. Evidence of graduation in the form of photocopies of diplomas, certificates of termination of study, or other certificates legalized by educational units or secondary education programs.

13. Certificates not involved in banned organizations and G.30.S/PKI from the police.

14. Sufficient statement letter regarding the willingness of the person concerned is proposed as a candidate for President and a candidate for Vice President in pairs.

15. Surat pernyataan pengunduran diri sebagai anggota Militer Nasional Indonesia, Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia, dan pegawai negeri sipil sejak ditetapkan sebagai pasangan calon pemeriksaan.

16. Surat pernyataan pengunduran diri dari karyawan atau pejabat badan usaha milik negara atau badan usaha milik daerah sejak ditetapkan sebagai pasangan calon peserta pemilu.