Audience With KPU, Puan: 2024 Election Budget To Be Effective And Efficient

Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (Photo from DPR Doc)

JAKARTA - The chairman of the DPR, Puan Maharani, led a DPR audience with the General Elections Commission (KPU) to discuss preparations for the 2024 General Election. Puan highlighted the effectiveness of the democratic party's budget.

The DPR hearing with the KPU was held at the DPR Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday 6 June. Present at the meeting were KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari and other KPU commissioners namely August Mellaz, Betty Epsilon Idroos, Idham Holik, Mochmmad Afifudin, Parsadaan Harahap, and Yulianto Sudrajat.

Puan was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus and Muhaimin Iskandar. In addition, the Chairman of Commission II of the DPR, Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, and two commissioners in charge of the general election, namely Junimart Girsang and Saan Mustafa were also present.

"It has been mutually agreed between the KPU and the DPR through Commission II and the Government that the election stages will begin, God willing, according to the existing schedule, namely June 14, 2022," said Puan.

It is important to note that the General Election will be held simultaneously on February 14, 2024. Meanwhile, the Simultaneous Regional Head Election will be held on November 27, 2024.

The DPR together with the government and election organizers have agreed on the amount of funds for the 2024 elections worth Rp. 76.6 trillion. Puan reminded about the effectiveness of the budget.

"The 2024 election budget must be carried out effectively and efficiently and maximized according to needs since the start of the election stage," said the first woman who served as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives.

Puan explained, the timetable for registration of political parties as election participants will be set in August 2022. Then the verification of political parties as candidates for the election will be determined in December 2022.

"So that the implementation of the stages of holding the election, God willing, is in accordance with the schedule that will be set," said Puan.

Not only that, Puan requested that the KPU and Commission II of the DPR conduct a campaign simulation so that when the general election takes place, every need can be properly accommodated.

"The duration of the campaign period will have an impact on the production and distribution of logistics, because logistics production must be carried out on time, on target and in the right amount according to the required needs," said Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also reminded that every policy issued by the Government regarding the implementation of the General Election was discussed with the DPR. Including, said Puan, regarding the Presidential Regulation regarding the Procurement of Logistics for the 2024 Election.

"It is necessary to hold a meeting with the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court to determine the form of disputes/cases that can be submitted to the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court considering the length of Procedures and Mechanisms for Handling Election Disputes in 2024," he added.

Furthermore, Puan also emphasized the accuracy and updating of voter data to be carried out in an accountable manner. The government and election organizers are said to have to ensure the ease of public access to voter data so that they can exercise their voting rights.

"The KPU should conduct socialization to increase public awareness to report changes in population data and report if there are errors in voter data," said Puan.

"Because of the time period for the election with the election that is close to the regional head and the limited time for updating voter data for the 2024 regional election," he continued.

In addition, Puan asked the KPU to pay more attention to the recruitment process for PPS and KPPS officers. He asked the election organizers to learn from the experience of the 2019 general election, where several PPS and KPPS officers died due to the workload being too heavy.

"Safety and the provision of compensation for election organizers need to be considered. The heavy workload requires adjustments to a better work mechanism so that it doesn't repeat itself like the 2019 election," said Puan.

The grandson of the Proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia Bung Karno added that the various problems that occurred in the 2019 Election and the 2020 Regional Head Election must be used as evaluation material for follow-up. This, said Puan, is an effort to minimize the occurrence of recurring problems during the 2024 General Election.

"We hope that the 2024 General Election can run smoothly so that all people can channel their constitutional rights," he concluded.