Looking for Election Organizers with High Integrity |

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There is no honest and fair election without organizers with integrity. We often hear this statement, but it can be an empty slogan when not implemented. It is a sentence that contains deep meaning and is a reminder for all stakeholders, especially the organizers themselves.

In several regions in Indonesia, including Aceh, they are currently recruiting ad hoc organizers for regional head elections. For the Sub-district Election Committee (PPK) or Voting Committee (PPS), it has been completed and they are already working. The results, among others, can be assessed from the stages of matching and researching prospective voters for the regional elections.

If there are Pantarlih officers who do not visit residents' homes, especially if there are voters who are left behind so that they are threatened with not being able to exercise their right to vote on November 27, 2024, that is clear evidence that the voter registration officers or Pantarlih are not carrying out their duties as per the technical guidance they received.

Currently, the Ad Hoc Panwaslih in 23 districts and cities in Aceh are in the process of recruiting members of the Sub-district Supervisory Committee. So far, the recruitment process for ad hoc organizers, both for the Independent Election Commission (KIP) and Panwaslih in Aceh, has indeed been full of dynamics, some even ending in chaos even though on a controlled scale.

The strong pressure and recommendations from political parties are suspected of being the cause of the erosion of the independence and integrity of the organizers. With the system of accepting election organizers in Aceh which refers to Law Number 11/2006 concerning the Government of Aceh, political elements cannot be avoided. Organizers at the district/city level are selected by the DPRK and at the provincial level by the Aceh DPR. This condition is risky for bargaining and political favors.

In fact, in a district there was news circulating that there was a deduction from the salaries of PPS members for those who provided recommendations. Some said one month, but others said Rp500 thousand for each PPS member. The amount could reach billions when multiplied by the number of three PPS members per village and multiplied by the number of villages.

We hope that the information is not true so that the integrity of the election organizers is truly maintained, starting from the highest level to the lowest level who are on duty during the voting and vote counting later. Recommendations from various parties should be followed by the ability and integrity of each organizer.

If we ignore integrity, it will be very dangerous for the implementation of honest and fair elections and the health of democracy as a whole. What a great price to pay when all parties ignore the integrity of the organizers.[]

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