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Indonesia, example of electoral transparency in Asia: ANFREL chairperson
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Chairperson of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) Damaso G. Magbual (right) speaks during a press conference on the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III at Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Bali, on Tuesday. (JP/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)
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ndonesia’s transparent presidential election in 2014 has gained praises as being a perfect example among Asian countries, the chairperson of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), Damaso G. Magbual, has said.
The decision by Indonesia’s General Election Commission (KPU) to widely publish the election results to the public had inspired neighboring countries, said Magbual. “I learned that in 2014, Indonesia did something that has never been done before in Asia. I was very amazed that Indonesia has 600,000 polling stations and the KPU was able to post the results on the KPU website. That is transparency at its best,” he said at the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III in Bali, on Tuesday.
Indonesia held its third presidential election on July 9, 2014, which elected Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as the seventh president of the country. It involved so many volunteers and employed technology that empowered people to engage in the democratic process.
Magbual, who is also a former professor of philosophy and political science at St. Louis University in the Philippines and member of the National Council of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), said he proposed Indonesia's transparency method to be implemented in the Philippines. The suggestion was well received by the Philippine government in 2016.
He added that there was no such thing as a perfect election, however, the integrity and quality of election could be achieved through proper regulations.
