The legislative debate over the swelling budget for the elections have come on the heels of a controversial proposal from three ruling coalition parties — allegedly at the behest of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s inner circle — that the elections be postponed for a number of reasons, including higher election costs.     

The proposal has revived speculation that President Jokowi, whose second term in office has been severely disrupted by an economically crippling pandemic, is seeking to extend his term by delaying the elections for a few years. 

‘Swelling’ election cost

Until the final days of the last legislative sitting session last month, the House, which is dominated by pro-government parties, had yet to approve the budget proposals from the General Elections Commission (KPU), which was asked to look for ways to shorten the election stages – including the campaign periods – to cut costs.

KPU secretary-general Bernad Dermawan said the commission had initially proposed Rp 80 trillion (US$5.58 billion) to fund the concurrent elections in 2024 — which is three times the budget for the 2019 presidential elections. The House and the government, however, refused to approve the budget, saying that the country was still struggling to revive the pandemic-stricken economy.

The KPU has cut its budget proposal to Rp 76.6 trillion and it is now waiting for another consultation session with the government and lawmakers. "The KPU's proposed election budget of 76.6 trillion is allocated over four years [2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025]. We will review it again and make it more efficient,” Bernad told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday

An increase in election costs was inevitable as a result of the rise in the number of voters in 2024, increased costs, as well as the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for election officials at voting stations, infrastructure development and inflation adjustment, according to KPU commissioner Pramono Ubaid Tantowi.  

“Indeed there has been a significant increase compared with the KPU’s budget in the 2019 general elections,” he said. “Even though the infrastructure budget was cut, the [2024] general election funding requirement will still be higher.”

‘Room for efficiency’

House Commission II deputy speaker Saan Mustopa of the NasDem Party said that the House did not object in principle to the election budget proposed by the KPU.

"We have absolutely no problem with the budget; we are just asking for it to be recalculated. Because after being re-checked, it turns out that from the originally proposed Rp 86 trillion, the KPU can reduce it to Rp 76 trillion. Then after being rationalized again, it could be around Rp 60 trillion. This means that there is still room for efficiencies that can be made," he said as quoted by Kompas daily.

During the last meeting of House Commission II, both lawmakers and the government asked the KPU to carry out a simulation to condense election stages and cut more costs.

Saan added that the election budget would be discussed once the upcoming House sitting session started in mid-March. “We will discuss this at the next session. As soon as it starts, we will try to finish it by March or April. Because, in mid-April, we will be back in recess. After that, there will be the fasting month [of Ramadan] and Idul Fitri. So the best time to allow flexibility for the stages is during this upcoming simulation,” Saan said.

Critical moment

Hadar Nafis Gumay, executive director of the Network for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (Netgrit), said the approval of the proposed election budget served as one of the indicators that the executive and legislative were still committed to holding elections according to the schedule.

“If they are serious about supporting the idea that the 2024 general elections should be carried out as scheduled, the House and government need to immediately make the decision on the election funding,” Hadar said.

Ahmad Khoirul Umam, managing director of Paramadina Public, warned that after political maneuvering to postpone the upcoming elections, in which palace circles were reportedly involved, which failed to consolidate in the legislature, the alternative move could be forcing the KPU to declare its “incapacity” to hold the upcoming elections.

“The crucial moment falls during the next couple of months. If the KPU's hands and feet are tied by the uncertainty of the allocation of election funding, technical problems in the preparation of the 2024 general elections will arise,” Umam said.

Umam added that this could lead to the KPU declaring its unpreparedness to hold the elections. “At that point, elements of predatory forces around the Presidential Palace and political parties supporting the postponement of the election will wash their hands and pass the blame for the inability to hold the 2024 general elections on time to the KPU.” (ahw)