TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of the Election Supervisory Agency or Bawaslu, Rahmat Bagja, responded to the recently released movie Dirty Vote, which contains criticism against the agency. The documentary exposed alleged instances of election fraud by the current government of Joko Widodo or Jokowi.

“Thank God. Please criticize us. The process is ongoing. We don’t want this process to be seen as improper,” Rahmat welcomed the criticism at the Bawaslu Media Center in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Feb. 11.

In his defense, Rahmat said the agency has carried out its duties and functions as per the regulations and that the public is entitled to have their own perspectives on the agency’s performance, as it could not be controlled.

He also said that Bawaslu had anticipated various scenarios that could lead to conflict, especially before the voting day. “However, the right to freedom of expression, opinion, and anything conveyed is constitutionally protected,” he told journalists.

In the documentary film directed by Dandhy Laksono, a constitutional law expert from Andalas University, Feri Amsari, slammed Bawaslu for merely issuing warning sanctions for violations committed by the presidential and vice presidential pair number 2 Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka and their campaign team. Feri argued that there should be deterrent sanctions in place to prevent the recurrence of election violations.

BAGUS PRIBADI

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