KPU Hopes Election Law Can be Enacted This Year
President Jokowi receives General Elections Commission (KPU) Commissioner at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (9/8)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Tuesday (9/8), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, received four General Election Commission (KPU) Commissioners and the Head of KPU, Juri Ardiantoro, M.Si, Ph.D.
KPU delivered four points to the President; first, relating to the 2015 Simultaneous Regional Elections and the preparation of the 2017 Simultaneous Regional Elections; second, relating to the upcoming Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum (AESF), a group of Election Management Bodies and Civil Society Organizations that concern about the quality of elections in Asia to be held in Bali from the 22nd to the 26th of August 2016; third, the preparation of 2019 General Election.
Relating to the 2015 Regional Elections, KPU mentioned that the event was well implemented, but in some regions the elections were postponed due to candidacy issue.
Several regions that must postpone the Election are Central Kalimantan, Fak-Fak, Simalungun, and Pematang Siantar. The dispute in Pematang Siantar has not been solved until now, Juri said.
However, in general, the 2015 Regional Elections went well. Meanwhile, the preparation of 2017 Regional Elections is on the track with the schedule. We have prepared the budget for 101 regions which are going to conduct the 2017 elections. It is already sufficient and adequate, Juri added.
The 2019 Simultaneous General Election
According to Juri, KPU encourages the discussion on Election Law to be finished and could be enacted by the end of 2016. This Law would cover the preparation of 2019 General Election, Legislative Election, and Presidential Election.
We hope it can be completed immediately, or if possible, by the end of 2016. So, the preparation of 2019 General Election can be started in early 2017. The verification of political parties participating in the election can be started in 2017, so does the mapping of electoral regions for the member of the House of Representatives, Regional House of Representatives both at provincial and regencies/cities levels, Juri said.
Morever, according to Juri, the other important issue is to strengthen the election management institution by including it in the revisions in the Election Law.
On the occasion, Juri also requested President Jokowi to officially open the 2016 Electoral Stakeholders Forum (EASF) on 23 August 2016.
For the record, the first EASF was held in Bangkok in 2012, while the second EASF was held in Dili, Timor Leste.
Accompanying the President in the event were Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno. (DNA/ES) (RAS/EP/MMB/Naster)
