Mahfud MD Compares Election Under Different Ruling
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14 February 2019 15:40 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Chief of the Constitutional Court Mahfud MD, explained that the current presidential election has a better and more independent system compared to the New Order era.
Mahfud acknowledged that electoral frauds still exists even today. However, he stated that it mainly involves horizontal diaputes between political parties.
"Not by the government. In the past, it was the government that was fraudulent," said Mahfud MD in his opening speech during a discussion held at his office MMD Initiative in Jakarta on Thursday, February 14, 2019.
Mahfud added that the New Order era did not have independent organizations such as the General Election Commission (KPU). Back then, the electoral results were determined by the General Election Institution (LPU) that was directly controlled by the government.
"The LPU was led by the Home Affairs Ministry, that also oversees governors, regents, and mayors. They were monitored by the Attorney General's Office (AGO), instead of the elections supervisory agency (Bawaslu), which is also part of LPU," Mahfud explained.
Mahfud also highlighted the freedom to issue criticisms by the media, a condition never experienced during the ruling of Soeharto.
"Back then, during the Soeharto era, [journalistic freedom was limited], publishing an overly critical article will result in your disappearance. But now you can report anything, and if it's proven false it can be rebuffed by others," Mahfud explained.
SYAFIUL HADI