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Indonesian regions report lack of funds to hold 2020 local polls
The regions were initially committed to allocating a total of Rp 11.95 trillion (US$876.4 million) to fund their elections this year, but later said they could only spend Rp 9.93 trillion or less.
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A man dips his finger in indelible ink in East Denpasar, Bali, after voting in the Bali gubernatorial election in June 2018. The government and the country’s biggest political parties have signaled their intention to abolish direct public participation in electing local leaders. (JP/Anggara Mahendra)
T
he General Elections Commission (KPU) has raised concerns over regional administrations’ capability to provide funds for the 2020 concurrent regional elections after six regencies reported that they would not be able to provide the amount targeted for the polls.
The regions were initially committed to allocating a total of Rp 11.95 trillion (US$876.4 million) to fund their elections this year, but later said they could only spend Rp 9.93 trillion or less. The KPU has also found that the regional administrations have only disbursed Rp 444.05 million, or 4.47 percent of the budget until Jan. 10.
“We have found that many local administrations, which are required to fund their regional elections, have revised their election budgets, which raises concerns over their ability to fund an election,” said KPU chief Arief Budiman.
The 2020 regional elections will be held in 270 regions across Indonesia on Sept. 23, when the voters will elect leaders in nine provinces, 224 regencies and 37 cities.
Arief said that aside from revising down their budgetary commitment, representatives from Ogan Ilir and East Ogan Komering Ulu regencies of South Sumatra had visited the poll body office earlier this month, asking for advice on how to fulfill their responsibilities in funding the elections.
He lamented the situation, saying that the regional administrations should have thoroughly planned funds for the scheduled elections so that they could be ready for disbursement in February when the KPU would begin to verify administration requirements for regional leader candidates.
“After they [the two regency administrations] visited us, we asked them to visit the Home Ministry for further assistance. We can only hope that the ministry has provided them with the right solution for the issue,” he added.
