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KPU is independent, says Husni
Husni Kamil Manik: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)As the third largest democracy in the world after India and the US, archipelagic Indonesia faces myriad challenges in organizing just, free elections nationwide
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Husni Kamil Manik: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira) (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
Husni Kamil Manik: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
As the third largest democracy in the world after India and the US, archipelagic Indonesia faces myriad challenges in organizing just, free elections nationwide. It is natural for the General Elections Commission (KPU), as the organizer, to encounter difficulties in providing election logistics and in dealing with election participants that are dissatisfied with its decisions and performance. KPU chairman Husni Kamil Manik recently spoke with The Jakarta Post's Margareth S. Aritonang and Hans Nicholas Jong about the KPU's last-minute preparations for voting day on April 9.
Question: Can you provide an update on your election preparation?
Answer: We're in the process of preparing for the legislative election and the presidential election. For the legislative election, we just have to wait for voting day, while preparation for the presidential election has just begun. Preparation for both elections is ongoing side-by-side.
Is everything going well for the legislative election?
The obstacles we face are being overcome one by one. It's impossible for there to be no problems, but we can still settle them all.
There are points where the activities we have scheduled have gone smoothly. For example, during the campaign period, some election participants felt dissatisfied. We played a mediation role to look for a way out and finally the problems could be solved. All parties felt their complaints had been dealt with.
The same can be said of logistical preparation. There have been new problems. Two days ago, heavy rain caused some logistical problems [in some regions] but overall, all problems have been handled and right now the required resources are on their way from subdistricts to villages.
In big cities that have large administrative village offices, the officers there can pick up ballot papers from subdistrict levels and store them there. For example, when I visited some village offices in Jakarta, the ballot papers were already there. Then the ballot papers will be distributed to polling stations a day before voting day. Besides the ballot papers, the forms used during the election, the election ink and the seals had already been stored inside ballot boxes.
What about some regions that have asked for additional ballot papers, such as the East Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD), which asked for 56,000 additional papers?
We re-confirmed arrangements with them and it turned out they did not need that amount of ballot papers. We do not meet requests for additional ballot papers because of miscalculations, but it's different if problems are caused by things like rain. So if there are damaged ballot papers during the distribution process, then there should be replacements for them.
Aren't you worried about potential requests for additional ballot papers being misused to manipulate
the vote?
The standard of the operation is for us to verify [whether they really need the additional ballot papers or not]. Some of them have also asked for additional ballot papers in the event that it rains on voting day, but that kind of concern is not stipulated in the law.
What about Golput, or voters who choose not to exercise their voting rights? How does the KPU anticipate that?
We're still working to make our tagline of 'let's vote' come true. We are not anti-Golput because Golput is a part of democracy across the world. Our target is for voters to have as much information as possible. That's our duty.
Those not exercising their voting rights usually do so because they have enough information, but they still do not want to use their rights. It's normal in a democratic country.
A country recently finishing an election of its own is Afghanistan ' where the participation percentage was only 58 percent.
In Indonesia, some surveys have predicted voter turnout to be above the KPU's target of 75 percent. Three days ago, the Pol-Tracking Institute released a survey showing voter turnout to be 88 percent. So it's a question of whether citizens will remain consistent on their wish to use their voting rights or not.
Is there any pressure from the government on the KPU to do well?
Haven't we already done a good job? [Laughing]. No [there is no such pressure]. The KPU is a very independent body. If we do not ask [the government to do something], the government will not move [and take action].
