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Vote buying looms large ahead of revote: Bawaslu
The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has warned that the potential of vote buying could increase ahead of the upcoming revote ordered by the Constitutional Court for the regional head elections in dozens of regions.
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A voter casts his ballot on Dec. 3, 2024, at a polling station during a revote for the 2024 simultaneous regional elections in Makassar, South Sulawesi. (Antara/Adwit Pramono)
T
he Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has warned that the potential of vote buying could increase ahead of the upcoming revote ordered by the Constitutional Court for the regional head elections in dozens of regions.
Bawaslu chair Rahmat Bagja noted that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which started on Mar. 1, might prompt vote buying ahead of the revote through social activities and gatherings like iftar.
While the date for the revote has yet to be decided by the poll agency, the Constitutional Court ruled that it must be held within 30 to 180 days since the court decided so on Feb. 24.
“This is the holy month of Ramadan. Of course, things related to dirty politics can potentially occur, which we hope will not happen,” Rahmat said in a livestreamed event at the Bawaslu central office in Jakarta on Monday.
To prevent the practice of vote buying, Rahmat said that Bawaslu plans to reactivate its ad hoc supervisory committees down to the lowest level of regional administrations to keep tabs on the entire revote process. This includes monitoring civil servants, who could be mobilized to support certain candidates or to influence voters to vote for certain candidates in exchange for money or other rewards.
Rahmat also said that the agency has instructed its branches in provinces, regencies and municipalities to coordinate with law enforcement agencies to clamp down on and investigate election fraud.
Read also: KPU races to solve revote funding problem
