KPU to launch education program

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Facing the prospect of a low voter turnout in the presidential election runoff, the General Elections Commission (KPU) is preparing a massive media education program to encourage eligible voters to exercise their rights on Sept. 20.

The KPU member tasked with overseeing the voter education program, Valina Singka Subekti, said the nationwide drive would aim to make amends for voter turnout in the last two polls -- the legislative election and first round of the presidential election.

"The experiences of other countries show that less people are willing to vote in the runoff stage. Another reason to be concerned is that voter attendance at polling stations in the July 5 presidential election was lower than for the legislative election," Valina said.

Of 145 million registered voters in the April 5 legislative election, only 84 percent turned up to vote. The percentage dropped to 78 percent of 155 million voters in the first round of the presidential election.

The KPU has estimated the registration of 153 million voters for the runoff.

Observers have predicted a low voter turnout, as many people who voted for a candidate in the first round, who has since been eliminated, may have lost interest.

Valina said the commission hoped that voter turnout would exceed 50 percent, so that the elected president would have an ample mandate from the electorate.

The voter education program will primarily be conducted via television.

"Research shows that television is the most effective media of all to educate voters," Valina said.

Indonesia has one state and 10 private television stations, which can reach over 150 million viewers nationwide, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Valina said the program would address three main themes: the importance of voting, the correct way in which to vote, and the need to accept the final results of the runoff.

A public service announcement about the election will be run from Aug. 21.

"We will air it between five and eight times a day, on 10 channels," she said, adding that most of the funds allocated for the voter education program would go on the televised announcements.

The announcements will also be broadcast via radio and published in print media.

Aside from the media campaign, the commission will distribute printed material.

The KPU has allocated Rp 9.2 billion (US$1 million) for the voter education program, an increase from Rp 8.1 billion spent in the run-up to the first round of the presidential election.

Most of the funding was provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which has disbursed $1 million for the cash-strapped commission.

The House of Representatives budgetary committee only approved the disbursement of Rp 62.9 billion in funds for the runoff election, far below the proposed Rp 418 billion.

The budgetary committee excluded the voter education program from the list of programs that would be financed by the approved budget.

Originally, the commission estimated that it would spend Rp 10 billion on the program.