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Asian countries stress urgency for ICT to conduct transparent elections

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post)
Bali
Wed, August 24, 2016

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Asian countries stress urgency for ICT to conduct transparent elections Association of World Election Bodies director Juhwan Lee (from left to right), Union Elections Commission Republic of the Union of Myanmar chairman U Hla Thein, People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) executive director Rohana N. Hettiarachchie, Commission on Elections Republic of the Philippines commissioner Atty. Luie Tito F. Guia, and Women for Social Progress Mongolian representative Elberel Davaa speak at the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III in Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Bali, on Tuesday. (JP/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)

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everal Asian countries have stressed the urgency for information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance transparency in elections and minimize disputes.

David Ennis, the Chief of Party of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), stated that a transparent election was pivotal, especially in a scenario where there was a highly disputed election such as that in the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election.

“The public was scared of the fraud that the political parties wanted to interfere with the process and result of the election. Therefore, the election result was posted live on the internet. A lot amount of money was spent on the technology used, but it was a transparent election,” David said at Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III in Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Bali, on Tuesday.

However, he emphasized that the use of ICT systems should only be utilized when an interested country was financially sustainable. Given it takes a significant amount of spending to verify online voter data, give information by text on polling place, publish election complaints online and conduct live streaming of voting and counting.

Elberel Davaa, the Women for Social Progress Mongolian representative, said her country has implemented an Automatic Election System (AES) in a parliamentary election earlier in July to prevent any illegal interference. “The election result was broadcasted live through television channels, which increased trust from stakeholders on the election results,” she said.

Separately, Indonesia’s General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay said the commission would improve its system to smoothen the implementation of simultaneous regional elections in 2017, especially in relation to the voters’ data system (Sidalih), calculation system (Situng) and logistics information system (Silog). (ags)

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