The nationwide voting held on February 14, 2024, has sparked public discussions regarding the ongoing data processing conducted by the General Election Commission (KPU).
Umi Illiyyina, a member of the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) in Yogyakarta, joined forces with a UGM political expert to provide insights and evaluations on the conduct of the 2024 election.
Illiyyina highlighted the strenuous demands placed on election officials throughout the 2024 election, with numerous officials succumbing to fatigue, illness, and, tragically, even death.
“We’ve witnessed the toll this election has taken, with one member losing their life and approximately three polling station supervisors being hospitalized,” she mentioned.
“One incident involved a supervisor collapsing due to exhaustion while safeguarding ballot boxes, requiring intensive care due to severe fatigue. Despite these challenges, many officials persisted in their duties.”
The significant workload of election officials is a recurring issue in every election cycle. In the evaluation of the 2019 election by the KPU, a staggering 894 officials lost their lives, while 5,175 others fell ill.
This alarming statistic prompted the KPU to adopt e-recapitulation or SIREKAP for the 2024 election to alleviate the burden. However, challenges persist, with officials encountering disruptions during the data recapping, often due to technical issues with SIREKAP.
“In Yogyakarta, the voter landscape presents unique challenges, especially with many voters hailing from other regions, particularly migrant students. Since 2022, we’ve been actively engaging these voters regarding voter registration, urging them to manage their paperwork promptly,” Illiyyina said.
“Despite these efforts, some were unable to exercise their voting rights until a week or even three days before the election due to administrative hurdles.”
Dr. Mada Sukmajati, a political expert from the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, offered insights into evaluating the 2024 election.
He emphasized the importance of various evaluation instruments, including election integrity, legal certainty, and public participation. A robust election entails fair competition, procedural transparency, and legal certainty at every stage.
However, the fluid nature of election procedures in Indonesia, influenced by legal modifications and vested interests, poses significant challenges.
“The rules governing elections are susceptible to manipulation at each stage, necessitating a holistic assessment of election integrity. This assessment can be conducted from multiple perspectives, including stakeholders, participants, organizers, voters, and the incumbent government. It gauges the fairness and integrity of the electoral process,” noted Dr. Sukmajati.
The expert underscored the critical role of election integrity in safeguarding the electoral system. While no election is flawless, maintaining integrity prevents malpractice and fraud.
Failure to uphold integrity erodes public trust in political institutions, parties, and elections and risks triggering protests and violence, posing a grave threat to democracy.
Beyond fortifying the democratic framework, ensuring election integrity aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which advocates for peace, justice, and strong institutions.
Integrity is the bedrock for fostering a conducive, equitable, and participatory electoral environment, crucial for achieving sustainable and inclusive development.
Author: Tasya