KPU's next challenge

So far, six pairs of presidential and vice presidential hopefuls are to compete in the July 5 election, barring a possible change when the General Elections Commission (KPU) finalizes the lineup next week.

The public are focusing again on the commission, which faces another enormous task -- to prepare for the first direct presidential election in the nation's history.

Being the first-ever independent body to organize a nationwide legislative election, the KPU can be forgiven for its below-par performance in the poll. After all, this year's elections have been described by observers as one of the most complex polls in the world, comprising three possible elections in a span of five months under a totally new system. The system notwithstanding, the country's enormous size, huge population and difficult geography are in themselves a formidable challenge.

Flaws afflicting the legislative election ran long like a dirty laundry list. The late arrival of ballot papers, especially in far-flung areas, forced some regions to hold the poll later than April 5. Electoral law violations and other irregularities led to election reruns in 500 polling stations and ballot recounts in more than 1,800. There have been a litany of poll- related complaints from unregistered voters casting their votes, voters voting twice and the forgery of voting cards.

However, it's fair to say the number of problems was dwarfed by the number of successes, 2,300 out of a total of 600,000 polling stations nationwide. The multi-vote, multi-tier legislative election is also likely to be judged more complex than the next presidential election where voters will only have to punch papers once for the candidate pair they choose.

The low number of valid votes, about 113.5 million from 124 million actual voters, in the legislative election was due in part to confusion over how to vote in the new system.

While the next election may be simpler, the presidential elections with their focus on individual personalities, could be more explosive as people tend to be emotional when high-profile candidates are defeated. Voters deserve praise for having conducted last month's legislative election relatively peacefully but violence cannot be ruled out this time around.

It would not be over the top, therefore, to ask the KPU to exercise the utmost care in handling the presidential election. Too much is at stake in this election in a nation just freed from the yoke of two successive dictatorships. Violence could stem from opposing ideologies, conflicts of interest and from the lure of power. If these elections failed, the risks to the nation would be great.

Worryingly, some flaws in the presidential election process have already surfaced. The final registration of presidential and vice presidential aspirants has been postponed to the second week of this month, a week later than the initial schedule. The KPU has acknowledged it could also have problems with the distribution of election materials.

Early campaigning, a constant irritant in the legislative election, is now occurring again. Several presidential aspirants have been advertising themselves in the print and electronic media or holding fund-raising activities. All the while, the KPU is being kept on the sidelines, unable to take any action. It says the electoral law, which sets out sanctions against official candidates, only comes into effect next week.

Indicative of what the future may hold, legislative candidates who stood trial for early campaigning were mostly handed lenient sentences.

In addition, the registration period for election monitors -- more than 20 have already registered -- has been delayed for two weeks from the initial schedule of April 30 through May 15, to May 15 through June 15.

During the legislative election, the KPU website was hacked into despite huge spending on a security system. The KPU should make sure this does not happen again. Otherwise, people will again question the soundness of its judgment to spend Rp 152 billion (US$17.5 million) on the project.

The KPU also has to set up guidelines for presidential debates, although debating is not compulsory for candidates. It has to print electoral leaflets, fliers and posters to educate the public about the election. It will have to appoint companies to prepare ballot papers, film negatives, ballot-counting forms and envelopes. A massive amount of paper ranging from 4,000 tons to 7,000 tons will be needed.

The KPU also has to prepare for voter registrations, the distribution of election information and the screening of candidates.

Taking cues from the problems in the legislative election, the KPU should have learnt which companies are best at creating electoral materials, should avoid using indelible ink that allegedly caused skin irritation and should follow its deadlines as closely as possible. It should also be more transparent in its dealings with the public.

An estimated 150 million people will be eligible to vote in the presidential election, 2 million more than in the legislative one.

The burden lies on the KPU.