KPK Reveals Potential Corruption Risks Among Election Organisers, High Costs Under Spotlight

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has released the results of a study identifying potential corruption risks among general election (Pemilu) organisers. In the Appendix to the Annual Report of the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate, quoted by Kompas.com on Monday (20/4/2026), the KPK presented six findings in the study. First, regarding the costs of organising elections and regional head elections (Pilkada), which are deemed extremely high. “The costs of organising elections and Pilkada are very high, accompanied by high campaign costs for participants, thus encouraging transactional politics and corrupt behaviour after being elected,” the KPK stated in the appendix. Third, the KPK found that the party nomination process is transactional, with candidate selection and sequence numbers more influenced by elite interests and financial capabilities. Fourth, the high costs of winning elections drive an electoral corruption cycle, turning public office into an investment that must be recouped. Fifth, there are indications of bribery against election organisers in the vote counting process, tallying, and dispute resolution. To address this, the KPK issued five recommendations to election organisers. First, strengthening the integrity of election organisers, including improving selection mechanisms, process transparency, optimising SIPOL (Political Party Information System), and public involvement in tracing the track records of prospective election participants. Second, reorganising the party nomination process, with minimum party membership requirements and eliminating provisions for elite intervention in selected candidates.