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View all search resultsPolitical parties should only nominate qualified candidates, lawmaker says
Right to vote: Hidayat Nurwahid, the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party lawmaker, stands next to an Indonesian migrant worker in Hong Kong after holding a discussion with her on the importance of voting
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span class="caption">Right to vote: Hidayat Nurwahid, the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party lawmaker, stands next to an Indonesian migrant worker in Hong Kong after holding a discussion with her on the importance of voting. The Communications and Information Ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Hong Kong held a two-day information event on the importance of voting, the election process and voting procedures for Indonesian citizens in Hong Kong, which ended on Sunday. (JP/Elly Burhaini Faizal)
Political parties must nominate qualified candidates for the legislative election to avoid voter apathy in Indonesia, a lawmaker has said.
Hidayat Nurwahid, the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party lawmaker, said legislative candidates must be tested thoroughly and should have a track record that indicates they have the capacity to represent the Indonesian people in both the legislative and executive bodies.
'If parties offer the public a variety of qualified candidates, people will be more inclined to cast their votes,' he said on Sunday afternoon.
Hidayat was speaking on the sidelines of an event promoting the election process and voting procedure to Indonesian citizens in Hong Kong held by the Communications and Information Ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) at the Ho Tung School, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Voter turnout in Indonesia has declined by 20 percent over 10 years from 1999 to 1999, according to official data from the General Elections Commission (KPU) in 2013.
With such a constant decline, voter turnout will likely decline to around 60 percent in 2014 and possibly below 50 percent in 2019.
Hidayat said it remained a challenge for the Indonesian government to continuously come up with new ways to increase turnout and encourage participation in elections. However, he said, the downward was not exclusive to Indonesia.
'['¦] even the United States, a great champion of democracy, has seen a decline in voter turnout,' said the former People's Consultative Assembly speaker.
However, Hidayat further said on average, more than 50 percent of eligible voters had participated in elections in that time and this was a positive sign with regards to effective representation in the legislative and executive bodies.
'Up to now, the voter turnout in Indonesia is still above 60 percent, which is quite high. This is something we need to maintain,' Hidayat said.
Election day will be held for Indonesian residents in Hong Kong on March 30, which falls on a Sunday, meaning that they will be the first Indonesians to cast their ballots in the upcoming legislative election.
