In defense of KPU and the 2019 general election

Aulina Adamy and Lestari Nurhajati
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PREMIUM

Jakarta / Tue, May 7, 2019 / 11:28 am

In defense of KPU and the 2019 general election

Clock is ticking: Staff members of a local election commission count ballots in Pasar Minggu, Jakarta. Vote counting at the subdistrict level is expected to take 17 days, after which the results are to be submitted to the district or city level. (The Jakarta Post/Seto Wardhana )

Is there such a thing as a perfect election in this world? No. Read every single election observation report from any country and you will find many incidents of fraud. There is no “perfect” election, although we — as election observers — seek “free and fair elections”. How does one determine that an election is free and fair? There are many international guidelines that provide an answer. One example is the Dili Indicators of Democratic Elections of the Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel). The five indicators of nations with free and fair elections are: they have an overall legal framework that provides universal suffrage and guarantees basic freedom; a level playing field; a professional electoral management body; inclusive and meaningful citizen participation; and mechanisms to ensure effective, efficient and impartial electoral justice ...