Vigilance crucial as 270 regions head to polls amid pandemic by Fardah

 Jakarta , Dec 9, 2020 (ANTARA) - More than 100 million voters are expected to head to the polling stations on December 9, 2020 to cast their vote in the simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada) in nearly half of Indonesia’s regions amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

A total of 5,292 fresh cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on December 8, 2020, bringing the count to 586,842, and the death toll to 18 thousand.

On December 3, 2020, Indonesia reported 8,369 fresh cases, the highest ever recorded in 24 hours, with Papua province contributing 1,755 cases; West Java, 1,648 cases; and, Jakarta, 1,153 cases.

Despite instructions to implement health protocols, polling officers for the 2020 Pilkada have not been spared by the virus. In Tasikmalaya, West Java, the General Election Commission (KPU) confirmed on December 8, 2020 that results of rapid tests conducted on 36,078 polling officers found 220 officials reactive to COVID-19.

“The results of yesterday’s rapid tests declared 220 officers reactive, and they have now been isolated,” Tasikmalaya General Election Office (KPU) Commissioner Isti'anah stated.

The Tasikmalaya KPU has made it mandatory for all election administration officers to undergo rapid tests to confirm they are in sound health, Isti'anah noted.

The Tasikmalaya KPU commissioner stated that officers with reactive rapid test results have been immediately asked to take swab tests and self-isolate while awaiting test results.

“Those found reactive are in good health, and they have now been isolated. If the swab results are negative, then they are being allowed to work. However, if they are positive, they cannot work,” he stated.

Isti'anah said that if swab test results of the reactive officers do not come by polling day, voting would nonetheless be held by optimizing the number of officers available, as it would be difficult to find a replacement.

 
Earlier, 11 election administration officers in Ngawi, Central Java province, had tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease.

The Ngawi General Election Office (KPU) had conducted COVID-19 rapid tests on 17,636 officers, following which 67 were declared reactive and sent for swab tests, while the rest were still waiting for results. Those infected with COVID-19 will not be able to report for duty on polling day, said officials.

There have also been reports of polling officers and candidates testing positive for COVID-19 in other regions. Despite the confirmed cases, the elections for Ngawi district head and deputy district head will proceed as scheduled, officials said.

Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy after the US and India, will hold the regional head elections in 270 regions comprising 9 provinces, 37 cities, and 224 districts. The campaign period lasted from September 26 to December 5, 2020.

A total of 734 nominee pairs have registered as candidate pairs for the polls.

On November 11, 2020, Kumparan online media had quoted Saydiman Marto, who is serving on the home affairs ministers staff, as saying that four candidates have succumbed to COVID-19 and other ailments, 24 have contracted COVID-19, while 20 others have recovered from the coronavirus disease.

State Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Erick Thohir earlier reminded the public to remain vigilant to stop the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

"We all have to become more vigilant in the wake of a spike in the number of cases. This means many of us have started to become negligent," Thohir noted in his statement recently.

Thohir, concurrently chief executive of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN), reiterated that his office remained committed to playing an active role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We all know and believe that human life is more valuable than anything," he emphasized.

The government is currently striving to provide safe, effective, and quality vaccines at affordable prices, according to the minister.

"Vigilance and vaccination are concrete efforts and collective struggles to protect ourselves and the country and to end the pandemic, which necessitates support from all components of the nation. Now, let us continue to guard all of us. Do not get tired or be careless. Insya Allah, our efforts are a blessing," he stated.

Strict application of health protocols is being considered key for the successful implementation of the pilkada this year.

Preparations for the simultaneous pilkada have been mainly related to guaranteeing security and strict application of health protocols, Sigit Pamungkas, senior expert of the Presidential Staff Office’s (KSP's) Deputy V, said.

“The regional elections are going to be held in a matter of days, while the number of COVID-19 cases has continued to fluctuate. Hence, election organizers should implement strict health protocols as designed,” Pamungkas remarked.

Pamungkas, former commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU), stated that pilkada executors must remain firm in ensuring that health protocols are applied strictly during local elections.

"It is necessary to strengthen coordination among all parties involved to ensure that the health protocols are applied strictly," he remarked.

Pamungkas recalled that President Joko Widodo had earlier given four instructions on the implementation of regional elections. The most important part of the President's directive was that the elections be direct, general, free, honest, fair, and safe from COVID-19.

The Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) has been implementing health protocols at every stage of the elections, right from the campaigning period to the time of voting.

The agency has also issued the General Election Commission Regulation (PKPU) that regulates the implementation of regional elections in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PILKADA AMID PANDEMIC POSES A DILEMMA by Fardah

Jakarta, 18/9/2020 (ANTARA) - One by one, electoral officers who have been busy preparing for the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) amid the coronavirus pandemic and candidates contesting the polls have tested positive for COVID-19.

Officers from the central and local offices of the General Election Commission (KPU) as well as the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) have contracted the virus, while the KPU headquarters in Jakarta has issued a work-from-home guidance.

The novel coronavirus disease has infected more than 30 million people in 213 countries and territories across the globe, and claimed more than 940 thousand lives since the first cases emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year.

In Indonesia, the total confirmed case tally has reached 236,519 and the death toll has touched 9,336 since the country announced its first COVID-19 infections on March 2, 2020.

The government is determined to hold the Pilkada in 270 regions, or nearly half of its territories, on December 9, 2020, despite a record spike in COVID-19 infections lately, with daily cases reaching nearly four thousand over the last one week.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has frequently lent considerable weightage to no compromises being made in implementing the COVID-19 health protocols during each stage of the local elections, saying public health remains an unwavering priority.

"I need to once again reaffirm that the health of the people is everything, which means there would be no compromises in the implementation of health protocols," the President said on September 8, 2020.

He highlighted the criticality of implementing health protocols in the wake of continued and gross health protocol violations by prospective candidate pairs, including holding of concerts during the participation declarations, adding that such actions cannot be tolerated.

As many as 734 nominee pairs have registered as candidate pairs for the 2020 Pilkada, which will be held simultaneously in nine provinces, 224 districts, and 37 cities.

The campaign period will last from September 26 to December 5, 2020, or 71 days. Initially, voting was scheduled to take place on September 23, 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, voting day has been postponed to December 9, 2020. As many as 109,569,111 eligible voters are expected to turn out on polling day.

GERINDRA, PKS EXPECTED TO REMAIN EFFECTIVE, QUALITY OPPOSITION

Sabtu, 6 Jul 2019 21:22

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 6/7 (Antara) - The 2019 presidential election held simultaneously with legislative elections on April 17, 2019, across Indonesia was a long and tiring process with a campaign lasting more than six months, leading to a deeply divided nation.

The elections were considered the world's biggest and most complex single-day vote on April 17, 2019, where 192 million people queued up at some 810 thousand polling stations, resulting in unexpected deaths of some 700 polling officers, mostly after working for two days at a stretch after serving voters on polling day.

The 2019 race was a replay of the contentious 2014 presidential election that exposed the nation's divide, as Joko Widodo (Jokowi) faced retired general Prabowo Subianto.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the final results on May 22, 2019, at 1:28 a.m., declaring that the Jokowi-Maruf Amin pair had secured 85 million votes, or 55.5 percent of the national vote, as compared to contenders Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno who received 68 million votes, or 44.5 percent.

The Jokowi-Amin pair declared victory, while the Prabowo-Sandiaga pair rejected the KPU's official tabulation result and challenged it in the Constitutional Court (MK).

MK's nine judges announced their final ruling session on June 27, 2019, by rejecting in totality the Prabowo-Sandiaga pair's petition.

President-elect Jokowi and Vice President-elect Ma'ruf Amin will soon form a new cabinet for the 2019-2024 period, according to Arsul Sani, deputy chairman of TKN, Jokowis national campaign team.

INVESTIGATION TEAMS EXPECTED TO REVEAL TRUTH OF POST-ELECTION UNREST

Rabu, 29 Mei 2019 22:38

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 29/5 (Antara) -
Jakarta's post-election rally, which ended in violence from May 21 to 22, 2019, claimed eight lives and resulted in hundreds of protestors, and nine police officers, being injured. The police claimed, however, that seven people were dead, while others said the fatalities reached more than 10.

Of those injured, 294 victims were between 20 and 24 years old, and 170 others were below 19 years, while the deaths included three teens, according to the Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the final results of the recent parliamentary and presidential elections on May 22 at 1:28 a.m., declaring that the Jokowi-Maruf Amin pair had secured 85 million votes, or 55.5 percent of the national vote, as compared to contenders Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno receiving 68 million votes, or 44.5 percent.

The Jokowi-Amin pair has since declared victory, while the Prabowo-Sandi pair rejected the KPU's official tabulation result and issued a legal challenge at the Constitutional Court (MK).

This unfinished political process sparked a mass protest from the Prabowo supporters, who alleged massive fraud in the presidential elections.

The police allowed them to stage a rally until they finished performing Tarawih, the evening prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, on the evening of May 21. As revealed by National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo, the peaceful demonstrators left the front of the Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Agency) building around 9 p.m.

MANY CALL TO CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF INDONESIA'S COMPLEX ELECTIONS by Fardah

Jakarta, 29/4/2019 (Antara) - Indonesias simultaneous legislative and presidential elections were not only the largest single-day democratic exercise but also resulted in unexpected martyrs -- 253 polling officers, 55 election supervisors, and 18 police officers -- dying of alleged exhaustion.

The elections, held on Apr 17, added complexity and increased the burden on over 192  million eligible voters, who had to decide on their president, vice president, members of the House of Representatives (DPR), senators of the Regional Representative Council (DPD), members of Provincial Legislative Council (DPR I), and members of the District/Municipality Legislative Council (DPRD II).

Indonesia's foremost simultaneous legislative and presidential elections were chiefly held to save time, reduce energy, and curtail costs, but in reality, the contrary took place, with the execution being frenzied, costly, and siphoning off the lives of at least 326 executors.

Different parties have vehemently called for conducting a complete and comprehensive assessment of the elections organized in over 810 thousand polling stations across Indonesia and overseas.

"We should hold a total evaluation. We will ready a format to prioritize electoral efficiency, albeit involving multi-stage execution," Chairman of Gerindra Party's Executive Board Ahmad Riza Patria noted in a recent statement.

Patria confirmed that his side had called to conduct an absolute assessment of the elections, with a reported voter turnout of some 80 percent.

"We will conduct an assessment in the Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR), along with the Government, General Election Commission (KPU), and Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), and call for legislative and presidential elections to be held separately next time," he remarked.

Adopting a similar stance, DPR Speaker Bambang Soesatyo had put forth a formal request to the Indonesian government and KPU to hold a joint assessment of the execution of the 2019 Election.

"This specifically pertains to the call for immediately applying an electoral system that is not financially burdensome, effective, and far from complicated in addition to ensuring that large number of martyrs, in terms of the election organizers, supervisors, and security forces, do not have to pay the ultimate price for the world's most complicated democratic party," he remarked, calling on the need to no longer follow the concept of the 2019 elections in future.

Soesatyo opined that the electoral process can be streamlined by putting in place an e-voting system, thus making it redundant for several organizing committees, supervisors, witnesses, and extensive security to procure voting booths, ballot boxes, ballots, and ink.

To this end, the speaker believes that the electoral process can be simplified and expedited, in terms of calculation and recapitulation of votes, by the application of an e-voting system and also not mean literal death for several of the executors.

"Hence, following the declaration of election results on May 22, I appeal to the KPU to prepare facilities and infrastructure along with conducting a comprehensive study of the planned execution of elections and polling with the application of an e-voting system," he remarked. Soesatyo further appealed to factions in the Indonesian Parliament, as an extension of political parties, to ascertain that the presidential and legislative elections are executed akin to earlier elections.

In the meantime, a political observer noted that officers, tasked with implementing the elections, were ill-prepared to fulfill mammoth tasks entailed in these elections.

"The fatal end of so many election executors exposes the grim reality that they were unprepared to execute such a colossal event on a single day," Anggalana, University of Bandarlampung's political scientist, stated. Anggalana viewed that theoretically, the Commission should have been able to execute the elections without any glitches, but those on field were overwhelmed by the tasks at hand.

The observer pointed out that the stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep while fulfilling their electoral duties in the face of time restraints arising from adopting the single-day election approach ultimately took toll of their lives, so henceforth, the ballot counting and polling should be held on separate days.

"With over a day in hand, officers will be able to take a break. In the recently concluded elections, the organizers literally broke their backs, slogging long hours, from dawn until 10 p.m. local time and also extending until the next morning to continue the ballot counting process," he pointed out.

In addition, the KPU should increase the number of polling stations, so that on-field officers are not overburdened on the polling day, he stated.

"It is common knowledge that fatigue primarily resulted in the deaths of officers," he remarked. Anggalana drew attention to the fact that a polling station handled 200-300 eligible voters during the day of the 2019 concurrent election, when it should have ideally been serving no more than 100-120 voters to ensure efficient workflow.

He also suggested organizing the next elections digitally if Indonesia would hold another simultaneous election subsequently, with close to seven different ballot cards.

INDONESIA HOLDS MOST COMPLEX LEGISLATIVE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS by Fardah

Senin, 22 Apr 2019 22:35

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah
Jakarta, 22/4 (Antara) - Indonesia held the world's biggest and most complex single-day vote on April 17, 2019, where 192 million people queued up at some 810 thousand polling stations across its 34 provinces in the country and overseas.

Yansen Adrys David, heading Polling Station (TPS) No. 5 in Bengkalis City, Riau Province, passed away on April 20 of a heart attack, after working for two days at a stretch after serving several hundreds of voters on polling day.

In Bantan Tua Village, Bantan Sub-district, also Bengkalis District, Suratinizar, head of the TPS No. 2, lost his life in a traffic accident on April 18, 2019. There were indications that he may have been exhausted. He returned home from the polling station at 2 a.m. local time (On April 18). He later headed to his office for work, and in the afternoon, en route home, he lost his life in a traffic accident.

Bengkalis General Election Office (KPU) Head Fadihilah Al Mausuly confirmed the deaths of two heads of the Bengkalis polling station working committees (KPPS) from exhaustion after clocking lengthy hours on polling day.

In Riau, five people were reported to have died in election-related incidents, while 13 officers fell ill from exhaustion. No less than three officers reportedly blacked out during counting of ballots in Pekanbaru, Kampar, and Pelalawan District, Riau, respectively.

Rustam Efendi, secretary of the KPU office in Manokwari, West Papua confirmed that the electoral process was very exhausting because it took a long time and needed extra accuracy.
"It took more than 10 hours to run a polling station, from the voting process and the ballot counting to the recapitulation of all the ballots," he noted.

The polling stations opened their doors at 7 a.m. local time and many finished the counting process at 4 a.m., or 6 a.m. and some even at 10 a.m. the following day.

The election officers had a tough task because they had to serve voters and finish the counting of the ballots. They only had breaks for meals, while Muslims had prayer breaks, he said.

Basically, election officers had to work continuously for nearly 48 hours, as they had to arrange the logistics and facilities for the electoral process, one day prior to polling day.

"They did not sleep well for at least two days and two nights as they were thinking about their tasks," he said.

On polling day, voters cast their ballot for the president and vice president, members of the House of Representatives (DPR), senators of the Regional Representative Councils (DPD), members of the Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD 1), and members of the District/Municipality Legislative Council (DPRD II).

Numerous voters were taken aback by the complex nature of the elections along with low knowledge on whom to elect, apart from the president and vice president.

They were given five ballots of different colors. In Pondok Gede, Bekasi City, West Java Province, for instance, a ballot for DPD has 50 pictures of senator candidates, while ballots of DPR, DPRD I, and DPRD II, bore pictures of 20 political parties in every ballot, and each party fielded nearly 11 legislator candidates.

With the polling stations closing down in the afternoon on voting day, officers had to begin counting votes that generally lasted until the next day.

Throughout Indonesia, the death toll was 54 TPS officers and 10 police officers, while 34 others were reported to have taken ill from overwork, according to Viryan Azis, KPU Commissioner in Jakarta, April 22.

House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo has condoled the deaths of the election officers. "I convey my deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Their sacrifice in upholding democracy in Indonesia will not be in vain," Soesatyo said in a statement.

"The election system is complex and polling stations located in regions with a difficult terrain can result in exhaustion and physical pressures that are unavoidable. Organizing an election can be time-consuming and can even claim lives," he remarked.

He appealed to the government to compensate the families of those who lost their lives. The senior Golkar politician also urged local administrations to provide free medical services to election officers, police and military personnel, who fell ill during election duty.

"In fact, from the onset, they should have been covered with life and medical insurances. Families of the officers who are either sick or dead should have been helped by the State," he added.

While the duration of the campaign was seven months, the election process itself was complicated, and the field officers were not covered by any insurance schemes, he noted.

The government should learn a lesson from this year's elections and make a note for the future, he said.

The public would like to see a better-organized election the next time, and this necessitates a change in the system, he stated. The changes must be carried out from top to bottom and safety of field officers must be made a priority, he added.

Sharing the House Speakers view, Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla has sought to conduct an evaluation of the implementation of the election since it was labeled a complicated process.

Kalla suggested that the 2024 presidential and legislative election should be held separately.

The just-ended elections were not only exhausting, but also allegedly marred by problems such as delayed delivery of election logistics, natural disasters, or cases of poll violations.

Hence, Bawaslu ordered reelection to be held in the provinces of Banten, East Java, South Sulawesi, West Sumatra, Jambi, and Papua, among others.

The House Speaker appealed to the KPU, local KPUs (KPUD), and the Election Supervisory Board (Bawasu) to ensure that revoting is conducted free of any violations and lapses.

In addition, the Indonesian Rector Forum (FRI) has released a statement in which it has asked election executors to maintain neutrality and demonstrate the highest levels of commitment to work.

"Hence, we appeal to those tasked with executing the 2019 elections, specifically the KPU, Bawaslu, and the Honorary Council of Election Executors (DKPP), to remain self-reliant and neutral along with guaranteeing that the vote counting process is held in line with the existent regulations," FRI Chairperson Prof. Dr Dwi Aries Tina Palubuhu MA remarked April 22, 2019.

The FRI also appealed to the public to always put the nation's interests over and above those of particular groups or persons.

The rectors also sought professionalism from the police and military in their work along with maintaining a neutral stance while putting the nation's interest above all.

They also called on presidential candidates and political parties to exercise patience as they await the outcome of the vote counting by the KPU.

Meanwhile, the preliminary election result from the KPU's Ballot Count Information System (Situng) showed Incumbent Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Ma'ruf Amin securing 11,608,261 votes, or 54.76 percent.

The pair of challenger Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno won 9,589,418 votes, or 45.24 percent, according to Situng data monitored on the official KPU website, April 22 at 7:15 a.m. local time.

The KPU Situng had made an entry of the ballots after referring to data received from C1 ballot count forms filled in by election officers at polling stations.

The commission has, until now, entered C1 form data from 111,572 TPS, of the total 813,350 TPS across countries and Indonesian representative offices overseas.

The KPU will release the official results of the final vote recapitulation on May 22, 2019. Nonetheless, both presidential candidates' camps have declared victory in the elections. The voter turnout was expected to surpass 80 percent. (INE)
EDITED BY INE

ENSURING A PEACEFUL, SMOOTH AND SAFE ELECTORAL PROCESS ON APRIL 17

Selasa, 16 Apr 2019 21:51

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah
Jakarta, 16/4/2019 (Antara) - Indonesia, the worlds largest archipelagic nation with some 17 thousand islands, has been holding relatively peaceful and smooth general elections since its Independence in 1945.

This year is a little different as Indonesia, the worlds fourth largest democracy, is preparing for its biggest and most complex one-day simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17.

A total of 90,779,969 eligible voters across the country will flock to polling booths to cast their ballots for their representatives at the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), as well as provincial and district/city legislative bodies. They will also vote for their preferred pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates.

In addition, 2,086,285 Indonesian nationals overseas are also eligible to exercise their voting rights during the electoral process from April 8-14 in various countries. However, the ballots will be counted along with the votes in Indonesia's 34 provinces on April 17.

Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Arief Budiman recently noted that the commission had set up 809,699 polling stations across the country.

The 2019 race will be a re-play of the contentious 2014 presidential election that exposed the nation's divide, as Joko Widodo (Jokowi) faced retired general Prabowo Subianto. Incumbent Jokowi has picked well-known cleric Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate, while Subianto has paired with successful, young businessman Sandiaga Uno.

Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla has forecast that the 2019 elections will record a voter turnout exceeding 75 percent, or more than 69.8 percent in the 2014 election, and some 70 percent in 2009.

INDONESIAN DIASPORA ENTHUSIASTIC OVER ELECTORAL PROCESS OVERSEAS

Rabu, 17 Apr 2019 00:06

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah
Jakarta, 17/4 (Antara) - Indonesians were very enthusiastic to exercise their voting rights during the electoral process held in various nations from April 8 to 14, 2019, ahead of the national election day on April 17.

Based on data of the General Election Commission (KPU), there are a total of 2,086,285 eligible Indonesian voters comprising 902,727 males and 1,155,464 females overseas, compared to 90,779,969 eligible voters inside Indonesia.

There were three methods of voting overseas going to polling stations, mailing, or mobile ballot boxes. A total of 783 polling stations were set up in 130 cities overseas. The Overseas Electoral Committee also served 2,345 mobile ballot boxes, and 429 postal services.

The diaspora cast their ballots for their preferred pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their representatives at the House of Representatives (DPR). The ballots will be counted on April 17, along with the counting of votes in Indonesia's 34 provinces.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of Indonesia had assured everyone that the overseas election committee would maintain the utmost integrity while collecting the votes of overseas Indonesians.

"The foreign election committees are formed by Indonesian citizens living abroad. All matters relating to the general election will be conducted impartially," noted MOFA's Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection Lalu Muhammad Iqbal here on April 1, 2019.

Malaysia has the most number of Indonesian voters at nearly one million.

FIXING VOTER LIST CRUCIAL FOR LEGITIMACY OF 2019 ELECTIONS

Jakarta, 29/3, 2019 (Antara) - With less than 20 days to go before over 192 million Indonesians are expected to cast their votes in the 2019 legislative and presidential elections, discrepancies have cropped up yet again in the Official Voter List (DPT).

The national campaign team (BPN) of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto had complained to the General Elections Commission (KPU) several times about irregularities noticed in the list since last year.

In July 2018, a coalition of parties supporting Subianto had discovered some 25 million duplicate voters in the Temporary Voter List (DPS).

On September 5, 2018, the coalition received the final DPT, and still found 8,145,713 duplicate names in the list. The KPU at that time promised that they would correct the list by November 2018.

On March 29, 2019, BPN representatives visited the KPU headquarters again to discuss the problem. The delegation was led by BPN Director for Media and Communication Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who was accompanied by BPN spokesman Habiburokhman. The closed-door meeting was held in the office of KPU Chairman Arief Budiman.

Earlier, the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno campaign team had demanded that the Commission fix the invalid or incorrect DPT, which included the discovery of 17.5 million names on it.

"The KPU headquarters should not only conduct research, but also an on-field validation and verification of the DPT data as soon as possible. If there is a will, there is a way," Agus Maksum, chairman of the team in charge of information and technology, stated at the Parliament Building in Jakarta, on March 26, 2019.

The team reported its findings to the KPU on March 1, 2019, but flaws were still found in the DPT, which the KPU promised would be fixed, he noted.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE LACKED ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS by Fardah

Jakarta, Feb 19, 2019 (Antara) - The second round of presidential election debate, held on Feb 17, 2019, was considered more interesting, but environmental NGOs were disappointed because major environmental issues, such as climate change, were not touched upon by both presidential candidates.

        Incumbent Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his challenger Prabowo Subianto discussed five themes, namely food, energy, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment, chosen by the General Election Commission, during the debate, but they failed to see a common thread of the five themes, as they treated each theme separately.

        Besides, they were seen as lacking substantive plans offered in their debates. 
   During the debate, Subianto vowed to take stern measures against companies that caused environmental damages if he is elected president for the 2019-2024 term.

         "If I am given the mandate to lead the government of the Republic of Indonesia, I will certainly enforce the law. Stern law enforcement is a must against companies that do not implement the regulation," Subianto stated, emphasizing on firm legal enforcement to protect the environment.

         Subianto also promised to tighten the requirements for environmental impacts assessment and stated that there would be no short cuts to obtain project licenses.

            "This is, again, a matter of commitment. I will uphold a clean government that will not be collusive with environmental violators," he added.

            If he is elected president for the 2019-2024 period, he would reorganize the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and separate it into the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Forestry.

            Responding to Subianto's statement, Jokowi remarked that his administration has sanctioned 11 companies involved in forest and land fires in Indonesia. The total sanction amounted to Rp18.3 trillion.

          According to Jokowi, the government has been successful in overcoming forest and peatland fires in the past three years by strengthening the law enforcement.

        He also stated that the current administration had started to clean polluted rivers, including one in Citarum River of West Java.

         Jokowi also vowed to reduce fossil fuel consumption by encouraging the use of more biofuel and green fuel.

            The government has begun production of B20, a blend of 20 percent of biofuel with diesel, and it would proceed with the production of B100, which contains 100 percent of biofuel, he explained.

        Commenting on the substances of the debate, an NGO activist viewed that both candidates failed to make environmental issues a focus of their statements.

         "Both candidates still view the issues of food, energy, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment as separate issues," Anggalia Putri, manager of knowledge management of the Madani Sustainable Foundation, revealed on Feb 18, 2019.

       They failed to see that the environment correlates with other issues and is even a major engine of the issues, she added.

           Jokowi emphasized on various policies, programs, and projects concerning the five themes of the debate. However, he did not elaborate much on the basic problems and the solutions, according to the NGO activist.

            "The discussions treat the five themes separately, as if they have no correlations with each other," she stated.

            Meanwhile, Subianto used populist words, such as independence, self-reliance, and national ownership versus foreign ownership.

            "But, he did not explain about the concepts on how to achieve food self-reliance and others," she added.

           The two candidates also did not mention about deforestation, forest degradation, and environmental rehabilitation during the debate, she stated.

         Another criticism came from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi), which expressed disappointment with the candidates for failing to mention the climate change impacts and forest issue.

          "It is a bit awful because climate change impacts and forest issues were not mentioned," Yuyun Harmono, campaign manager for climate justice of Walhi, revealed.

            The climate change is in fact an issue that covers every aspect, he noted. It is quite scary, from the climate change context, to learn about the optimism of both candidates over oil palm plantation, he revealed.

            Oil palm plantation and coal mining activities are both major contributors to emission, he remarked.

           If the two candidates still rely on oil palm and coal, it means they do not see the point of climate change, he added.

            They fail to link the economic policy and efforts to control the impacts of climate change, he revealed.

            "What worries me is that the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister has asked the Director General for Climate Change Control to review our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), in order to speed up the target to press the Earth's temperature increase below 1.5 degree Celsius from 2020 to 2019," he explained.

            The ministry has prepared measures for cutting emissions by accelerating mitigation efforts, he explained.

             The ministry has realized that the major contributors to emission are plantation and energy-based factors, he elaborated.

            However, he regretted that the two candidates failed to consider the crucial issue.

           "No one related their economic policy to climate change issue. This is worrying," he stated.  
    The impacts of climate change are apparent in Indonesia, such as rising sea levels, change in precipitation patterns, decrease in agriculture and fishery production, and increase in drought, flooding, and some vector-borne diseases. 
   Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia was concerned by both presidential candidates' emphasis on the use of crude palm oil for developing biofuels, because it potentially contributed to an increasing rate of deforestation. 
    Indonesia is one of the world's largest biodiversity nations and has the world's third largest forest areas. The country has several environmental problems, such as deforestation and marine pollution, due to plastic wastes. 
   The country's forest conversion into oil palm plantation has become a spotlight internationally because Indonesia's forest is considered as the `lung¿ of the Earth for its function to absorb gas emission that has induced climate change. 
   In September 2009, the then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a commitment to reduce gas emissions by 26 percent of business-as-usual levels by 2020. But with international support, Indonesia can reduce emissions by as much as 41 percent.

         Indonesia will hold the simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019.

    (F001/INE)

HOPING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES by Fardah

  Jakarta, Feb 16, 2019 (Antara) - Millions of Indonesian television audience hope that the upcoming second round of presidential election debate will be different from the previous one, which was considered unattractive due to cheat sheets given to presidential candidates several days prior to the debate.

          Incumbent Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto will meet in the second debate featuring five themes, namely energy, the environment, infrastructure, food, and natural resources.

          The second of the total five debates is scheduled to be held at Sultan Hotel, South Jakarta, on Feb 17, 2019, at 8 p.m. local. The General Election Commission (KPU) has vowed this time not to reveal the questions to the candidates in advance.      
    Unlike the first debate, Jokowi and his rival, Subianto, will face off in the second debate without the vice presidential candidates accompanying them.

         Indonesia will organize simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019, across the country.

       Of its total population of 260 million people, over 185.6 million are registered as illegible voters in Indonesia.

        The 2019 presidential election is considered by many as a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential race, wherein Jokowi and Subianto are again set to go head-to-head.

             Seeking a second term, 57-year-old Jokowi has picked Ma'ruf Amin (75), chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as his partner, while retired general Subianto (67) has chosen Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno (49), a successful entrepreneur and former deputy governor of Jakarta, as his running mate.

JOKOWI REMAINS MEDIA DARLING by Fardah

  Jakarta, Feb 9, 2019 (Antara) - Joko Widodo (Jokowi), a furniture businessman who turned into a politician, has become a media darling since he rose to the national politic arena in 2013.

        His rapid rise from being Solo's mayor (2005-2012) to Jakarta's governor (2012-2014), and later as Indonesia's seventh president (since October 2014), was also partly thanks to the media that was mostly fond of him.

        In April 2015, the then chairman of the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) Margiono presented Jokowi a jacket with a text that read "Media Darling" on the left side.  
  During the 2019 National Press Day celebration held in Surabaya, East Java, on Feb 9, 2019, Jokowi received a Press Freedom medal from Chairman of the Press Council (Dewan Pers) Yosep Stanley Adi Prasetyo.

        "We convey our congratulations and laud the president, who has been playing a major role in the press world so far," Prasetyo noted in his remarks.

         The Press Freedom medal is the highest award bestowed by the press community on an individual or institution that has contributed significantly towards the interest of the press, he remarked.

        Jokowi responded by saying that he felt proud and grateful to the press in Indonesia for trusting him to receive the award.

        The government has, so far, guaranteed press freedom and accepted various forms of constructive criticism as a means of social control, he added.

         "I also invite the press to strengthen its identity as a source of information that is accurate and trustworthy and always strengthens its identity to continue to educate the public," Jokowi noted.

        Earlier, he remarked that he was glad to witness that the public has laid greater trust in the conventional media than social media.

POLICE, MILITARY GEAR UP FOR 2019 ELECTION SECURITY by Fardah

 Jakarta, Feb 2, 2019 (Antara) - Indonesia will hold simultaneous legislative and presidential elections throughout the country's 34 provinces on April 17, 2019, believed to be one of the world's most complex elections.

         Of its total population of 260 million people, over 185.6 million are registered as illegible voters in Indonesia.

       The General Election Commission (KPU) will set up a total of 801,838 polling stations in the world's largest archipelago with over 17 thousand island.

       The next presidential and legislative elections will be the fourth organized directly, democratically, and simultaneously across the country, which is considered as the world's fourth largest democratic nation.

        With its independence declared on Aug 17, 1945, Indonesia held its first elections in 1955, but it was not direct elections. The first direct presidential election was organized in 2004.

        Most of the elections were relatively safe and peaceful. And this year, many parties believe that the Indonesian Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) personal will replicate their success in guarding the election process once again.

         The Indonesian Police will deploy 272 thousand officers, and the TNI 43 thousand officers to secure the implementation of the 2019 elections.

        In addition to the military and police personnel, some 1.73 million members of Linmas (community protection group) or civilian security personnel will also be involved in the security team.

         A joint meeting of the police and military leadership was organized in Jakarta on Jan 29, 2019, to discuss security measures for the 2019 general elections.

TARGETING MILLENNIALS IN INDONESIA'S 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION by Fardah

 Jakarta, Jan 23 , 2019 (Antara) - The Indonesian millennial generation is a determining factor in the simultaneous presidential and legislative elections to be organized on April 17, 2019, as they account for some 35 percent to 40 percent of the total illegible voters.

        Of its total population of 260 million people, over 185 million are registered as illegible voters throughout Indonesia and more than two million Indonesians live overseas.

        Of the total 187 million voters, some 70 million are millennials, who are known as Generation Y. Their ages are between 17 years old and 35 years old as they were born between 1980s and 2000s. Seventeen-year-old boys and girls are first time voters in Indonesia.

        The participation of millennials in elections is crucial for the promotion of democracy in the country, given their large number.

        Therefore, the National General Election Committee (KPU) has designed various activities to attract them to take part in elections. The activities include programs dubbed "KPU Goes To Campus" and "KPU Goes to School."
   The 2019 presidential election is considered by many as a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential race, wherein incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto are again set to go head-to-head.

         Seeking a second term, 57-year-old Jokowi has picked Ma'ruf Amin (75), chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as his partner, while retired general Subianto (67) has chosen Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno (49), a successful entrepreneur and former deputy governor of Jakarta, as his running mate.

        Both candidate pairs are optimistic of winning the support of the millennial generation. They have strategies to win the heart and mind of the millennials.

         Jokowi often appears in jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He also likes riding big motorbike, particularly to impress the Generation Y.

Year ender - PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES RACE FOR SUPPORT by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 24, 2018 (Antara)- Indonesia will organize presidential elections on April 17, 2019, considered by many as a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential race, wherein incumbent Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto are again set to go head-to-head.

        Seeking a second term, Jokowi, furniture businessman, has picked Ma'ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as his partner, while retired general Subianto has picked Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, a young and successful entrepreneur and former deputy governor of Jakarta, as his running mate.  
   The Jokowi-Amin pair is backed by a coalition called Working Indonesian Coalition (KIK) involving nine political parties which have set up a national campaign team (TKN) for Jokowi.

         The nine political parties are the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDIP), the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), Golkar Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), National Democratic Party (Nasdem), People's Conscience Party (Hanura),the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), the United Indonesia Party (Perindo), and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).  
   The Subianto -Uno pair is supported by only four political parties, notably Gerindra, which is founded by Subianto; the National Mandate Party (PAN); the Justice Prosperous Party (PKS); and the Democratic Party (PD) established by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

         In addition to the political parties, the two candidates have competed in gaining support from major mass organizations, such as the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia¿s largest Muslim organization, and Muhammadiyah, the second largest after NU.

         Muhammadiyah has so far maintained its neutral stance and has let its members to decide their choices.

Year Ender - PROTECTING INDONESIAN ELECTIONS FROM CYBERATTACKS by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 13, 2018 (Antara) - Cyberattacks have threatened elections in several countries, and one of the major hacking cases was alleged foreign interference using cyber networks during the US presidential elections in 2016.

          Any form of interference in the election results, be it through money politics or cyberattacks, could endanger democratic well-being of the targeted country. Hence, cybersecurity must be taken seriously to take precautionary measures and prevent threat of cyberattacks.

       On April 17, 2019, Indonesia will hold simultaneous presidential and legislative elections believed to be among the most complex and largest elections in the world. Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation, with some 260 million people, and the world's largest archipelagic country, with over 17 thousand islands.

         Four months prior to the elections, cyberattacks have already increased in Indonesia, according to the National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN).

        "From January to October 2018, BSSN had detected 207.9 million trojan attacks and 36 million malware activities, mostly targeting domains of ac.id, co.id, and go.id," Djoko Setiadi, the chairman of BSSN, revealed while addressing participants of a seminar themed "Materializing Conducive Cyber Space To Support Implementation of the 2019 Legislative and Presidential Elections," organized in Jakarta on December 12, 2018.

       Earlier, the agency had reported that a total of 143.6 million cyberattacks occurred during the January-June 2018 period.

        Moreover, some 2,363 complaints were lodged by the public, of which 61 percent were related to cyber fraud.

        He expressed concern over cyberattacks having developed fast, even swifter than the progress in technology and the capability to take precautionary measures, so it is risky and could trigger a crisis in every field at a massive scale of dissemination.

CORRECT VOTER LIST CRUCIAL FOR FAIR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS by Fardah

  Jakarta, Sept 24, 2018 (Antara) - The campaign period kicked off in Indonesia, with the General Election Commission (KPU) organizing an event for the signing of a declaration pledging a peaceful campaign in Jakarta on September 23, 2018.

         The campaign period will last until April 13, 2019, for the presidential and legislative elections next year.

         The pledge to hold peaceful elections was declared by presidential hopefuls and their pairs, coalition parties' leaders, as well as legislative candidates simultaneously across Indonesia.

         Presidential and legislative elections will be organized directly, democratically, and simultaneously across Indonesia on April 17, 2019, which will be the fourth so far. Indonesia had, in fact, held its first elections since 1955, but it was not direct elections. 
    Next year's race will be a re-run of the bitter 2014 presidential election that showcased the country's divide, as Jokowi went head to head with Subianto.

         In the direct presidential election five years ago, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his running mate Jusuf Kalla had won 70,997,833 votes, or 53.15 percent of the total 133,574,277 valid votes, while their rivals Subianto-Hatta Rajasa secured 62,576,444 votes, or 46.85 percent.

         Jokowi has picked prominent ulema Ma'ruf Amin as his pair, while Prabowo Subianto has chosen successful and young businessman Sandiaga Uno as his running mate.

JOKOWI, INCUMBENT WITH OVER 100 SPOKESMEN by Fardah

 Jakarta, Aug 15, 2018 (Antara)- Despite a controversy concerning  his running mate choice,  incumbent Joko Widodo and his team have been busy coordinating  a large political party coalition and a huge backup  to ensure his way to victory in next year's presidential election.

         Seeking second term, Widodo, who is popularly called Jokowi, has picked Ma'ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as his partner, to everyone's surprise.

         They will face retired military general Prabowo Subianto, who selects Sandiaga Solahuddin Uno, young and successful entrepreneur, as his running mate, in a re-run presidential race.

         Next year's race will be a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential election that showcased the country's divide as Jokowi went head to head with Prabowo. 
    In the direct presidential election five years ago,  Jokowi and his running mate, Jusuf Kalla, won 70,997,833 votes, or 53.15 percent of the total 133,574,277 valid votes, while their rivals, Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa secured 62,576,444 votes, or 46.85 percent.

         The Indonesian Government has planned to organize simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019.

         To achieve  victory for the second time, the political machine of Jokowi  has been working intensively by involving nine political parties joining the government coalition.

         The nine parties are PDIP, the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), Golkar Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), National Democratic Party (Nasdem), People's Conscience Party (Hanura),the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), the United Indonesia Party (Perindo), and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).  

HOPES RIDE HIGH ON PEACEFUL, FAIR SIMULTANEOUS REGIONAL HEAD ELECTIONS by Fardah

 Jakarta, Jan 15, 2017 (Antara) - Indonesia has successfully organized smooth, peaceful, fair, and democratic simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada) twice, so the nation is optimistic of repeating this feat in its upcoming pilkada. 
    The third pilkada will be organized simultaneously in 171 regions, comprising 17 provinces, 39 municipalities, and 115 districts across the country on June 27, 2018.  
    The number of eligible voters for the pilkada 2018 reaches 158 million, or some 80 percent of the total number of eligible voters for the presidential and legislative elections in 2019, which is some 197 million.

         Various parties, including President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and several legislators, have expressed optimism that the next local elections would emulate the previous ones.

         During a visit to Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Province, on June 8, 2018, Jokowi urged all elements of society to maintain fraternity and national unity, as the country welcomes the regional elections.

         "This year, we are entering the year of politics, and we need to be aware of this, so that we can all maintain unity and fraternity in order to ensure smooth implementation of this celebration of democracy," the president stated during a public lecture at the Muhammadiyah University of Kupang.

         The head of state expressed belief that no other country apart from Indonesia holds such a massive celebration of democracy.

PREPARATIONS FOR 2018, 2019 ELECTIONS CARRIED OUT WELL by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 26, 2017 (Antara) - The National General Elections Commission (KPU) has been very busy preparing the third simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada), to be held in 2018, and the legislative as well as presidential elections in 2019.

         Indonesia will organize the simultaneous pilkada in 17 provinces, 39 municipalities, and 115 districts across the country on June 27, 2018.  
    The legislative and presidential elections will be held on April 17, 2019, with a campaign period from Oct 13, 2018 to April 13, 2019.    
      The number of eligible voters for the 2018 pilkada is 158 million, or some 80 percent of the total number of eligible voters for the presidential and legislative elections in 2019, which is around 197 million.

        The Commission recently completed the rechecking of the results of the corrected administrative verification of 14 political parties, and two of them failed to pass.

          Twelve political parties have passed the administrative verification and will advance to the process of factual verification, Arief Budiman, KPU chairman, noted.

         The two political parties that failed are Berkarya and Garuda. The 12 parties that passed include Perindo, Solidaritas Indonesia (PSI), Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) for Struggle, Hanura, Nasdem, PAN, PKS, Gerindra, Golkar, PPP, Democratic Party, and PKB.

          The factual verification process to check the existence of the party officers and 30 percent allocation for women's representatives in the parties' organizations began on Dec 15, 2017.
  For the 10 old political parties, the factual verification was carried out only in North Kalimantan and five new districts in Southeast Sulawesi.