Team faces uphill fight against voter apathy

Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Pos ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 05/13/2008 10:39 AM  |  National

The public needs to be better informed about the 2009 general elections to reduce apathy and increase participation rates, according to a discussion on voter education programs.

The 2009 general elections are Indonesia's second nationwide election to vote directly for legislators and the president.

Some eligible voters view the elections merely as an expensive but ineffective grab for power, according to findings by a joint team set up by the Home Ministry and United Nations Development Program.

"People think the election is just about candidates yelling promises but breaking them once they get into power," team member Kusmarsanto said in the discussion Monday.

"They also say elections are synonymous with lawlessness and cheating, and voting for leaders is only a formality."

Under the Civic Engagement in Democratic Governance project, the team is developing methods to educate eligible voters nationwide ahead of next year's elections.

Voter education includes highlighting the importance of taking part in the election and the casting a valid vote.

The team conducted a survey of urban and rural voters in six provinces -- North Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Bali, South Sulawesi, North Maluku and Papua -- to find out public perceptions of the elections and to assess the voter education program carried out before the 2004 elections.

Despite their negative perceptions of the elections, Kusmarsanto said, people still had high hopes for the upcoming poll, expecting it to bring improvements to their lives and to the country in general.

"We also found first-time voters were more enthusiastic than those who had participated in the previous elections because the 2009 elections will be their first experience. They also wanted to get involved in a voter education program in their schools or universities."

The survey found people needed to receive full information about candidates so they could cast their vote properly, he said.

Endang Sulastri, a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU), said voter education was the KPU's responsibility and the commission would draft guidelines for distribution to voting committees in subdistricts.

She said the KPU was aware of the need to improve voter education and increase participation rates.

"We understand people have been more apathetic and bored, and have the impression elections don't bring any improvements to the country. That's why we agree the KPU, along with other institutions, should improve voter education programs."

Monday was the last day political parties could register for the election.

"As of 8 p.m, we had received registration forms from 33 parties," commissioner Andi Nurpati said.

At the beginning of registration period, 67 parties took forms.

One of the two conflicting camps at the National Awakening Party (PKB), under chief patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, was among the parties that returned the form to the KPU on Monday. The other camp, led by Muhaimin Iskandar, submitted its registration Sunday.

Registered parties have seven days to complete their administrative data and will be subject to further selection tests by the commission.

Parties that pass the selection process will be verified by the provincial and regency elections commission.

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