Regional Heads Frequently Caught in Sting Operations, Home Affairs Minister Proposes Campaign Spending Limits

A string of regional heads caught in Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) sting operations this year has drawn sharp scrutiny. Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has raised the need for a law governing political campaign financing. Tito made the remarks after a collaborative meeting on corruption prevention with KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto at the Home Affairs Ministry building in Jakarta on Friday. Tito initially explained that high political costs are one of the root causes of many regional heads being ensnared by KPK sting operations. “Prospective regional heads may officially spend on their campaign teams, then on campaigning, purchasing props, mobilisation and all sorts of things that could be quite high and become a burden for them. Some may even borrow, we do not know,” Tito explained. “And afterwards they become regional heads with the existing income, the take-home pay may not be able to cover the expenditure already incurred. Now, this could be one of the root causes, although of course we do not tolerate or permit it,” he continued. Tito then spoke about political financing rules. He noted that such rules are currently not yet enshrined in law. “The rules are made by the KPU, if I am not mistaken, a KPU regulation, and then if there is a violation it means it falls under election rule violations that can be handled by Bawaslu so that the person concerned can be disqualified and so on,” Tito said. Tito assessed the need for a law regulating campaign costs for regional head candidates. However, this falls under the authority of lawmakers. “Now, whether this regional election financing needs to be regulated in a law, we will leave it to the lawmakers when it is discussed later whether it is urgent to be regulated specifically,” he said. “For individuals, for example, how much, and then for legal entities, for instance businesses, how much can be donated to certain candidates, regulated explicitly in the law, in my opinion it is necessary,” Tito added. Tito said his ministry is leaving the discourse on regulating campaign costs to the legislature. He also declined to speculate on the need to change the electoral system to improve democracy in Indonesia. “Now, this democracy can be carried out in two ways, namely directly by the people who vote or secondly by DPRD representatives. That does not violate the 1945 Constitution,” he said. A total of 11 regional heads have been caught in KPK sting operations this year. The most recent regional head caught was West Lombok Regent Lalu Ahmad Zaini on Monday (20/1).