KPU to launch education program

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.