How the KPU is handling the election preparations

Adi Abidin and Wandy N. Tuturoong, The Asia Foundation, Jakarta

Dec. 8, 2003, was the day the General Elections Commission (KPU) showed its strong credentials as the organizer of next year's elections, when it hosted party leaders to draw their electoral numbers. On that day, almost all party chairpersons were present, including such state dignitaries as Megawati Soekarnoputri, Akbar Tandjung and Amien Rais -- only Hamzah Haz was absent. That night, these dignitaries sat before the KPU and patiently waited their turn to draw their lot, on equal footing with other party leaders.

The manner in which the event was conducted seems to give us hope that the 2004 elections will also be conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner, with results that all can accept as fair and just, managed by an independent and credible institution.

The evening of Dec. 8 was also the end of the beginning, as the selection of electoral candidates was completed through a complex and diligent process by the KPU and its provincial and regional branches across Indonesia.

This in itself was a mammoth undertaking, in which enormous resources were managed according to a tight schedule so as to produce a reliable result as to who could and who could not contest in next year's elections.

Verifying electoral candidates is not the only important work that the KPU has carried out thus far. The commission has also prepared other vital electoral and logistical procedures such as a voter registration system, an up-to-date IT network and a nationwide electoral infrastructure in the form of Regional General Elections Commission (KPUD) and Election Supervisory Committees (Panwaslu) in all provinces and all 416 districts. The KPU's responsibilities are all actualized on a huge scale -- a reminder of just how massive Indonesia is.

There are, however, follow-up tasks no less crucial that must be completed for the elections to be fair and just. The challenges were evident immediately after the new Elections Law was enacted last year. The legislature introduced a new set of systems and procedures for the elections.

By implementing an open-list, or proportional, system that allows voters to select a party and a candidate separately, and by introducing the new Regional Representatives Council (DPD), every voter has been given the opportunity to be a "first-time voter" in the legislative election in April 2004.

With such a complex system, a campaign to equip voters with enough information to cast an intelligent vote is crucial to the success of the election -- especially when hopes are running high that the elections will lead to entrenching democracy in Indonesia.

A recent 2003 survey conducted by The Asia Foundation on voters revealed critical findings to broaden the voter education campaign, particularly in taking voters' interests into account. The quality and quantity of their participation will be the main indicators to measure the success of the election, as well as democracy.

Signs that voters require more information are very prominent in the survey. It shows that seven voters in 10, or 69 percent, do not know the election month, while 22 percent give the wrong month. Less than 9 percent of voters are aware that the legislative election will be held in April 2004. As regards the DPD, almost two-thirds of the electorate, or 65 percent, have not heard of it or are unsure if they have, while a mere 9 percent have knowledge of the DPD's role and responsibilities.

Despite the many calls to boycott the election, the survey showed that the percentage of voters intending to participate in the elections is high -- 91 percent for the legislative, and 93 percent for the presidential election. Yet, less than half -- 48 percent -- believed the election would make a difference.

Such signs pointing to the need for a more active campaign in educating voters, however, should not be seen as undermining the successful work of the KPU so far. Instead, they should be seen as constructive input for the KPU and other relevant organizations in educating voters through an enhanced focus on providing electoral information.

Key information should include: dates for each election; the role and responsibilities of the DPD; electoral procedures, including voting procedures and ballot counting; electoral violations; supervisory procedures and regulatory bodies.

The KPU has already established its reputation as an independent and credible body; thus no further campaigning is needed to gain voters' trust.

Instead, the KPU's voter education program -- as was once mentioned by a KPU member -- should focus more on technical and procedural information. This is not to say that civic or qualitative education is not important -- this, too, should be conducted. However, as it seems very few voters know when the elections will be held, disseminating information should be a real priority.

Considering the massive tasks and challenges leading up to the elections, those committed to democracy through mass organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media should be a strategic partner to the KPU in intensifying voter education. In this way, voters can be prepared to use their right to vote wisely inside the polling booth.

The survey also revealed that 36 percent of potential voters preferred to receive electoral information from the KPU, 49 percent from religious groups, 40 percent from social organizations, 20 percent from political parties and 18 percent from non-partisan voter education groups. Interestingly, the majority of voters -- 54 percent -- wanted their neighborhood and community heads to provide the information.

The results of this survey strongly suggest that the general elections, according to potential voters, would likely be more successful with continued excellence from the KPU and from greater coordination between the KPU and those organizations working for a better Indonesia in spreading electoral mechanics.