Jakarta. “We all wish for elections in our country held with good quality and ethics,” Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated this when attending Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body) Award Night 2016 held at Balai Sarbini, Jakarta, on Monday (Feb. 29).
The Vice President added that Indonesia used to hold the most elections in the world with more than 500 regional elections in cities and regencies other than presidential and legislative elections.
“Within a year, there were around 100 elections, or one election every three days. But now, we can make it relatively simpler by holding elections simultaneously with only three regional elections, one presidential election, and one legislative election that will be in 2019.
Mr Kalla added that compared to other countries, such as Thailand, Philippines, and Pakistan, Indonesia is fairly successful in holding elections peacefully, even though many parties dissatisfied with the election result file a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court (MK).
“I was one of those filing a suit to MK when I was beaten in the election. It was like a trend at the day to file a suit when you are lost,” he made a joke.
The Vice President then appreciated everybody who made the elections run smoothly orderly and peacefully.
“I should thank to all of you for this success. Without good arrangement and supervision, it is almost impossible to have democratic elections,” he told representatives of Bawaslu offices from all over Indonesia attending the ceremony.
However, Mr Kalla said, there are some drawbacks during the elections, such as polling stations (TPS) that were attended by only a fraction of voters.
Concluding his remarks, the Vice President expected this this achievement could be improved in a bid to maintain the existing democracy and openness.
“Good democracy will result in good governance,” he affirmed.
Previously, Chairman of the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP), Jimly Asshiddiqie said that the arrangement of elections will only be effective when it does not only abide by rule of law but also by ethics.
“Ethics cannot be separated from the organization of elections to bring integrity into our elections,” he said, adding that integrity shall attach not only on the organizers, but also on the participants and candidates.
“When violating ethical rule, an election organizer can be penalized with maximum sanction of dismissal and a candidate can be disqualified,” affirmed Mr Asshiddiqie.
In the ceremony, Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Husni Kamil Malik along with KPU members, Arif Rahman Hakim Ferry Kurnia Rizkiyansah, Arief Budiman, Sigit Pamungkas, Juri Ardiantoro, Ida Budhiati, and Hadar Nafis Gumay, received an award for the category of an election commission with integrity.
Besides, the Vice President presented Bawaslu Awards in six other categories, which are:
- Provincial administration with the best financial support for election supervision, to Central Sulawesi province.
- Regency administration with the best financial support for election supervision, to East Belitung regency.
- City administration with the best financial support for election supervision to Cilegon city.
- The best District Polling Committee (PPK), to PPK of Kali Gondang District, Purbalingga, West Java province.
- The best Local Elections Committee [PPL], PPL of Tanjung Unggat, Bukit Bestari District, Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands province.
- The best local election supervisor, to supervisor at TPS No.14 of Ranai Kota administrative village, Bunguran Timur district, Natuna, Riau Islands province.
Also attending the ceremony were the chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Zulkifli Hasan, and Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi,
