By: Bara Winatha*)
Revote (PSU) is part of a democratic mechanism designed to ensure fairness and integrity in the general election process. In practice, PSU is a constitutional instrument that shows the government’s commitment to upholding electoral justice and strengthening people’s trust in the democratic process determined by the Constitutional Court. Therefore, support from all elements of the nation is needed so that the PSU takes place in a conducive and transparent manner.
The Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), Mochammad Afifuddin, said that his institution had set a schedule for the implementation of PSU stages IV and V which will take place on two occasions, namely May 24 and August 6, 2025. On May 24, PSU will be held in Mahakam Ulu Regency, Pesawaran Regency, and Palopo City. Meanwhile, PSU in Papua Province and Boven Digoel Regency is scheduled to take place on August 6.
Afifuddin said that all funding and logistics processes for the five regions are currently being completed. For Palopo City and Pesawaran Regency, a similar process is also underway, with some of the budget having been transferred and the rest in the coordination stage with the local government. As for Boven Digoel and Papua, the allocation of funds is still awaiting the completion of the NPHD from the local government.
Based on the latest data, logistics for the Pesawaran and Palopo areas have been 100 percent fulfilled. Meanwhile, logistics readiness in Mahakam Ulu is still at 69 percent, and for Papua and Boven Digoel it is still in the early stages. He also expressed optimism that the areas scheduled for PSU in May will be ready according to the deadline. On the other hand, the implementation of PSU has been fully prepared by the government, both in terms of technical, administrative, and supervision which is increasingly being strengthened in a strict comprehensive manner.
Member of Bawaslu RI for the Legal and Dispute Resolution Division, Totok Hariyono, stated that comprehensive supervision is absolute in order to ensure that each stage of PSU runs according to the rules. Totok highlighted the importance of preventing repeated violations, considering that PSU itself is the result of a Constitutional Court decision on previous violations. Therefore, Bawaslu tightened supervision from the early stages, including the distribution of logistics, the campaign period, until the voting day.
Supervision cannot run effectively without synergy between the central and regional Bawaslu. In Mahakam Ulu, the central Bawaslu provided full support for the steps taken by the regional Bawaslu, as long as they were within the legal corridor. Coordination was also carried out with security forces to anticipate potential disturbances, especially in areas that are categorized as conflict-prone. This is important to ensure that voters can exercise their voting rights without pressure or intimidation.
More than just an administrative process, the PSU is real evidence of the government’s commitment to perfecting quality and responsible democracy. He believes that the PSU experience can be a valuable lesson for all levels of society to improve the quality of future elections. In this case, active community involvement is also a determinant in creating fair and transparent elections. Bawaslu has even prepared a complaint channel that is easily accessible to the public to report any indication of violations.
The enthusiasm to support the smooth running of the PSU also came from young people, who began to realize the importance of active participation in maintaining the quality of democracy. The Head of the United South Kalimantan Youth, Al Madani Akbar, said that the youth in South Kalimantan are taking on the role of agents of change. They are actively involved in responding to various issues that are developing in society, including efforts to correct misleading information or hoaxes that can worsen the situation ahead of the PSU.
Al Madani stated that the youth play a strategic role in ensuring that the implementation of the PSU no longer becomes a trigger for new conflicts. He emphasized that the Government continues to ensure that every election process, including the PSU, runs on time in order to guarantee the continuity of leadership that sides with the people, so it is important to respect the results of the PSU which are carried out according to procedure. In the forum, the United South Kalimantan Youth emphasized its commitment to overseeing the PSU to completion, while still upholding the principles of law and democracy.
In addition to the youth, the involvement of academics and civil society also strengthened the legitimacy of the PSU. On the same occasion, a number of community leaders and election monitoring institutions conveyed the importance of respecting the decisions of the election organizers, as long as the process carried out has met the provisions of the constitution. They also encouraged each monitoring institution to work independently and professionally, so that they become constructive partners of the government in overseeing the PSU in a professional manner.professional and with high integrity.
Support for the smooth running of the PSU must be realized concretely. The community can contribute by maintaining environmental security, not spreading provocation, and reporting if they find violations during this process. This PSU provides space for correction of past mistakes, and at the same time strengthens the legitimacy of the election results. Therefore, supporting the PSU in a conducive and transparent manner is a form of shared responsibility in maintaining the integrity of democracy.
As an evaluative step, both the KPU and Bawaslu have conveyed that all stages of the PSU will be reviewed after implementation, in order to correct potential weaknesses in the legal and administrative aspects. This evaluation is important to ensure that similar PSUs do not need to happen again in the future. This PSU is also expected to be a national reference in building elections that are dignified and trusted by the public.
*) The author is a social and community observer
