Commission II Views Bawaslu's Proposal for "Blacklist" of Money Politics Offenders as an Interesting Idea

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission II, Zulfikar Arse Sadikin, considers the proposal from the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to disqualify perpetrators of money politics and place them on a blacklist to prevent them from participating in future elections as an interesting idea.

He stated that Bawaslu’s proposal could serve as an alternative for law enforcement against election participants. However, he noted that the proposal also needs to consider other technical aspects.

“All stakeholders will be invited to discuss,” Zulfikar said when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday.

According to him, law enforcement against election violators in the future must change its orientation from criminal penalties to administrative sanctions. He said this would be discussed both in the preparation process and the deliberation of the revision to the Election Law.

Meanwhile, member of Commission II of the House of Representatives, Muhammad Khozin, stated that Commission II is tasking the House of Representatives Expert Body (BKD) to conduct simulations of systems for designing the revision to the Election Law.

Commission II, he said, has invited dozens of institutions and agencies, such as the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), as well as academics and election observers, to gather input on changes to the electoral system.

“So that the results obtained from this legislative product can truly have an impact, not only in the short term, but also in the long term,” said Khozin.

Previously, member of Bawaslu RI, Herwyn J.H. Malonda, proposed revising the Election Law to regulate more detailed sanctions against perpetrators of money politics, including placing them on a blacklist.

According to him, perpetrators of money politics should not only be disqualified from the contestation but also prohibited from participating in subsequent elections. This sanction is intended to provide a deterrent effect to election participants proven to be cheating.

“Those who have been proven to have engaged in money politics should at least be barred from the next election period, including regional elections,” he said during a public discussion at the Bawaslu RI office in Jakarta on Wednesday (6/5).