Jakarta – The implementation of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections recorded encouraging results despite a number of challenges. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto said that in general, the voting process went smoothly.
“We received several reports related to the implementation of the voting, starting from the location that had to be moved due to disasters and rain, to the lack of ballot papers. However, overall, the process went well,” said Bima.
However, he admitted that the level of voter participation was not as enthusiastic as the Presidential Election (Pilpres) and Legislative Election (Pileg). According to him, this was due to the smaller number of polling stations and the distance of voters from the polling station location.
“Maybe that is an obstacle for citizens to vote. We suspect that the level of political participation this time may be different compared to the legislative or presidential elections, but in general the process is going well,” he added.
The Ministry of Home Affairs continues to monitor all stages of the Pilkada until completion. The focus of monitoring includes violations of the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) and potential lawsuits.
“We just held a coordination meeting with the TNI Commander. We must continue to guard until the lawsuit process is complete,” explained Bima.
Bima also encouraged the public to actively monitor the election process by reporting irregularities through official complaint channels.
“The more the public is aware, the more the legal process can run according to expectations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) Mochammad Afifuddin expressed his appreciation for the support of all parties in making the Pilkada a success.
“An important role is played by the readiness of society in facing the climate of democracy and differences,” he said.
However, Afifuddin admitted that there were still a number of shortcomings, such as the impact of flooding in several areas which caused the postponement and re-implementation of voting.
“For example, the impact of flooding in several places in North Sumatra, which we followed up with PSSU (Recounting of Ballot Papers), follow-up regional elections, and some continued regional elections,” he explained.
The recapitulation stage of the vote counting results is currently still ongoing in stages from the sub-district to the provincial level. With all the challenges faced, the success of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections provides new hope for the future of Indonesian democracy.
