KPU Chairman Finding Ways to Get Around Elections Regulations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - THE General Election Commission (KPU) will need all its endurance in this year of politics. On June 27, it will run 171 simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada). Less than a month afterwards will be the first stage of the election for members of the legislature. Then, in August, it will begin the presidential election process.

Despite this tight schedule, KPU Chairman Arief Budiman is sure that all these election processes will go smoothly. Starting in 2016, the KPU has already started its budgetary, regulatory, logistical, and human resources preparations. Even if there are constraints, he says, that will only be because many regional commissioners are ending their terms ahead of the elections. "There are even some regencies/towns where the commissioners’ terms end exactly on the election day of June 27," said Arief, 43.

The former KPU commissioner for East Java considers Papua to be one of the areas most vulnerable to disturbances during voting, so he has had to shuttle back and forth to the province to discuss matters there with the political parties and regional head candidates. Arief says Papua is being given special attention because even minor disturbances there would attract international attention. "In Papua, even if someone has an accident on voting day and dies, that could well become an international issue," he said.

Last Tuesday he met Tempo reporters Angelina Anjar Sawitri and Reza Maulana at his office in Jalan Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta. Helped by a cup of Wamena coffee from his visit to Papua’s Jayawijaya, Arief laid out the preparations for the upcoming elections, including the preventive measures taken to mitigate issues between the different tribes, beliefs, races, and groups (SARA) existing there.

What are the potential problems that could arise in the 2018 simultaneous pilkada

The terms of several provincial KPUs will end in the run-up to the election. There are even some regency and city KPUs (KPUD) whose commissioners will end their terms on election day of June 27, namely those for the KPUDs of Tanjungpinang City and Riau Islands. Previously, these commissioners’ terms were able to be extended until the final stage, which is during the inauguration of their new regional heads. However, under the new General Elections Law this is no longer possible, even if the terms end on election day. As you can understand, that is an important time. This poses a challenge for the KPU to be able to recruit good personnel within the allotted time.

Are there also any commissioners whose terms will end ahead of the elections for the legislature and the president?

Yes, there are. In February 2019, two months before those general elections, the terms of KPUD commissioners for East Kalimantan, Riau, and East Java will all end. Those for the Maluku KPU will also end on March 13, 2019, a month before (the elections).

How can the KPU ensure that the replacement of its management does not affect the elections?

There are many ways to achieve that. For instance, we do not replace all our commissioners at once. Under the law, KPUD commissioners may serve up to two terms. This enables a transfer of information, knowledge, and experience to occur. Apart from that, we always look for people who are really able to work, not those who still need to learn what is needed (to do the job). We have already started with the recruitment process now.

Does that mean serving commissioners get preferential treatment so they can be chosen again?

(Smiling) No. The regulations do not include such provisions. But, if their test results are good-they have integrity and are ready to work-we do choose them again. If not, well, no.

Which areas does the KPU consider most vulnerable?

The KPU has never mapped these out. We need to pay attention to all areas, as vulnerabilities differ at each stage. For instance, there are vulnerabilities at the logistical distribution stages in Kalimantan and Papua because of the many remote areas there. Regarding vulnerabilities during voting: those exist in Papua and Madura, because conflicts erupt so easily there. Thus it is possible that an area is vulnerable for issue A, but not for issue B. Jakarta is said to be vulnerable, but no blood ever got spilt here.

Why is Papua said to be vulnerable during voting?

We do pay special attention to that area. Disturbances may well occur elsewhere too. In Papua, if one should occur, it always becomes an international issue. If someone there has an accident and dies on voting day, it can become an international issue.

Why is that?

For me, any competition between parties must be free and fair. For instance, when they fight each other there, they already know and follow the rules. But, in pilkada, many sides are involved. This is outside their cultural norms. Women and children are scared when lawless, open conflicts erupt.

Are you also looking closely at West Java, Central Java, East Java, and North Sumatra?

We do look at them. Especially North Sumatra, which has a lengthy legacy left over after a dispute there involving the 2015 regional election that was only finalized in 2016. But I am sure there will not be anything that cannot be sorted out. There will not be any squabbles lasting years. It is up to us to have a strategy for quickly resolving disputes so they do not spread.

Many SARA issues contaminated the 2017 pilkada. What steps has the KPU taken to ensure that those are not repeated?

The KPU already took such steps during earlier regional elections. Dealing with those issues is already included in the KPU regulations. Under those regulations, candidates may not insult any other candidates, and may not make an issue out of Pancasila and SARA, and so on. The regulations also allow the KPU to control the use of social media.

In fact, there are still widespread SARA issues on social media…

Read the full interview in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine.