By: Darius Daryono )*
Indonesian democracy is being tested again through the Re-vote (PSU) mechanism, held as a continuation of the 2024 Regional Election process. In its implementation, the PSU is not simply a technical rehash of the election, but a manifestation of the nation’s commitment to upholding the principles of justice, public participation, and the rule of law. Therefore, mutual respect for the PSU results is a crucial foundation for maintaining the legitimacy of regional government and strengthening the substantive democracy being built.
In Pesawaran Regency, Lampung Province, the PSU results have confirmed the pair Nanda Indira and Antonius Muhammad Ali as the elected Regent and Deputy Regent. This process took place after the Pesawaran Regency Regional Representative Council (DPRD) officially proposed their ratification to the Lampung Provincial Government.
The Head of the Bureau of Government and Regional Autonomy (Otda) of the Lampung Provincial Secretariat, Binarti Bintang, stated that her office had received the appointment proposal documents. This document is currently being processed and will soon be forwarded to the Governor of Lampung, Rahmat Mirzani Djausal, to be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs as part of the inauguration procedure. He emphasized that this stage demonstrates transparency and commitment to ensuring that the entire democratic process is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations.
A similar situation occurred in Mahakam Ulu, East Kalimantan. The Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU), through its official letter number 1183/PL.02.7-5D/06/2025 dated July 9, 2025, emphasized that the determination of the elected candidate pairs resulting from the revote must be made no later than three days after the Constitutional Court’s ruling is read.
The Chairman of the KPU, Muhammad Afifuddin, stated that this deadline is crucial to ensure legal certainty and an orderly transition of government. He stated that the determination of the candidate pairs must be made no later than three days after the Constitutional Court’s ruling is read. He also reminded all district/city KPUs, including Mahulu, to submit proposals for the ratification and inauguration of the elected candidate pairs to the local DPRD no later than one day after the determination. This procedure is an integral part of an accountable and transparent election system, as stipulated in KPU Regulation Number 18 of 2024.
The KPU also requested that all election decisions be immediately uploaded as a digital link to the official KPU RI spreadsheet, while ensuring that the implementation proceeds in a conducive and secure manner. Not only in Mahulu, but the Provincial KPU also conducted direct supervision of all stages, ensuring there was no room for violations or manipulation of the results.
Meanwhile, in Papua, preparations for the re-election are being taken seriously. The Chairperson of the Papua KPU, Diana Simbiak, explained that her office has conducted outreach to various levels of society, including religious leaders, women’s leaders, and people with disabilities. The goal of this outreach is to ensure that messages regarding the re-election can be effectively disseminated, reaching grassroots communities.
Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling and the re-election stages, which will be implemented on August 6, 2025, when they join groups, they can disseminate information to residents in Papua Province. The success of the re-vote (PSU) depends heavily on the readiness of the organizers, particularly the Voting Organizing Groups (KPPS), who are the spearheads in the field. Therefore, comprehensive technical guidance is being provided at all levels, from the Provincial Election Commission (KPU) to the District Election Committee (PPD), the Voting Committee (PPS), and finally the KPPS.
Furthermore, the Papuan KPU will utilize a digital recapitulation system (Sirekap), where vote recapitulation results at the polling station (TPS) level can be photographed and immediately published. This will allow the public in Papua to follow the results at each polling station. The Indonesian KPU will deploy its team to the provincial KPU, but will also be deployed to nine regencies/cities. To support connectivity, the Papuan KPU is also coordinating with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics regarding the provision of the Starlink network in vulnerable network areas.
From these three re-vote (PSU) cases, it can be concluded that the entire process proceeded within legal, orderly, and strictly supervised guidelines. This confirms that the re-vote (PSU) is not a reflection of failure, but rather a corrective mechanism in democracy to correct processes deemed invalid. In this context, the results of the revote must be respected by all elements of the nation, including election participants, their supporters, and the general public.
The Executive Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati, emphasized that the revote mechanism is a concrete manifestation of the courage of Indonesia’s democratic system to improve itself. She stated that respecting the revote results is part of political maturity and a commitment to the rule of law.
The revote is not only about recounting votes, but also about building public trust in the system.Our elections. If the results are not respected, the entire process is in vain. This is the time to prove that we are capable of becoming a mature nation in a democracy.
Democracy is not just about elections; it is about how the entire process is respected and its dignity maintained. If the re-election (PSU) has been held honestly, fairly, and transparently, then the results must be accepted with open hearts, whatever their form. This is the essence of democracy: not about who wins or loses, but how all parties are able to uphold the dignity of the process.
By respecting the results of the PSU, this nation not only maintains the legitimacy of regional leadership but also demonstrates to the world that Indonesia is a mature democratic state, open to correction, and always sides with the sovereignty of the people.
)* Domestic Political Observer
