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KPU decries lack of budget as political parties rush to sign up for 2024 elections
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Leader in waiting: A local resident walks past a mural on the 2024 presidential election in Kedung Halang, Bogor, West Java, on June 13, 2022. Indonesia will hold its simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on Feb. 14, 2024. (Antara/Arif Firmansyah)
The nation's political parties rushed to sign up for the 2024 general elections on Monday, marking the official start of election season, although it remains unclear if authorities have enough funds disbursed from state coffers to organize the early stages of the elections.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) raised its concern yet again about the lack of funds for organizing a series of preparation stages of the 2024 presidential and legislative elections this year, saying the government support has been “not optimal”.
This might force the KPU to delay some key preparation programs of the 2024 presidential and legislative elections that were supposed to be held this year, KPU chairman Hasyim Asy’ari said.
"This year, we might not be able to start preparations for some multi-year programs because the proposed budget was not accommodated by the Finance Ministry," Hasyim told a press briefing on Friday.
The multi-year programs include a series of preparations for campaigning, voting day and vote counting – none of them having had their funds allocated in this year's state budget by the Finance Ministry.
Funds allocated by the government for the KPU to procure infrastructure and pay office operations and information technology were also not enough, with only about 17 percent of the proposed budget being approved by the ministry, said Hasyim.
The ministry last week approved an additional Rp 1.2 trillion (US$80.7 million) to finance the organizing of a series of early stages of the 2024 presidential and legislative elections this year. This follows an Rp 2.4 trillion election budget that the ministry authorized in June.
