Lawmakers Visit E. Java to Check Regional Election Readiness

The Delegation of the Commission II of the DPR, the East Java KPU and Bawaslu Officials poses for picture, Surabaya, Wednesday (18/12). (Photo by: Rara F/PR).18

In a bid to check preparation for next year’s simultaneous regional elections in nineteen regencies and municipalities in East Java province, members Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) overseeing home affairs on Wednesday (18/12) visited the office of East Java Regional Election Commission (KPU).

“The total budget needed for regional elections in the province next year is Rp1,018,383,805,889,” Chairperson of East Java Chapter of KPU Choirul Anam said before the lawmakers in Surabaya, Wednesday (18/12).

According to Choirul, the East Java KPU has gathered representatives of regencies and municipalities to prepare budgets for the elections and submit them to the East Java Governor.

In the meantime, Head of East Java Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) Mohammad Amin said that the budget needed to supervise the regional simultaneous elections in East Java is Rp285,432,319,000.

Amin went on to say that the East Java Chapter of Bawaslu had carried out routine supervision to the Bawaslu’s local office in each regencies/cities to ensure the readiness of human capital and election infrastructure as well as conducting Training of Trainers for Bawaslu members.

“The East Java Bawaslu in December 2019 is still conducting the process of data collection on the Election Vulnerability Index (IKP) in 2019,” Amin said, adding that one of the problems he faces is the fact that there is only one field election supervisor (PPL) with minimum age requirement of 20 years old.

Furthermore, Amin stated that the board had coordinated with the police and the Attorney General Office in dealing with violations that might happen during the elections.

The East Java Bawaslu, Amin continued, will focus their attention on updating data of voter lists—such as inmates voters and double voters—and those related to the campaign, such as the slow takedown on violated billboards and campaign props, civil servant’s neutrality, campaign funds, and election logistics. (EN/RAF/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas