JAKARTA – Indonesia’s General Elections Commission (KPU) has invited friendly countries to observe the 2024 general election at several polling stations through the Indonesia Election Visit Programme, reported ANTARA news agency.
KPU chairman Hasyim Asy’ari stated at the election body’s office in Jakarta yesterday that the programme provided various parties the opportunity to follow the developments of the implementation of general elections in Indonesia.
“General elections, in this regard, voting and vote counting in polling stations… the KPU invites friendly countries through their representatives, namely their embassies here,” he remarked.
According to Asy’ari, the practice of Indonesia’s electoral democracy is known as the most complicated in the world. This is because of the open-list electoral system in the country’s general elections.
He also underscored the uniqueness of general elections in Indonesia, as the number of electoral areas had reached 2,749, with simultaneous voting for the executive and legislative branches at all levels.
He cited the analysis of world experts and election observers that the general elections in Indonesia are the shortest such polls in the world.
“What is meant by the shortest general elections is the duration of the voting period,” Asy’ari said.
Indonesia will hold its general election tomorrow, in which around 204.8 million voters are expected to cast their ballots.
The political campaigning period started on November 28, 2023, and ended on February 10, 2024, followed by a silence period from February 11-13.
During the election, Indonesians will elect a president and vice-president as well as members of the House of Representatives, Regional Representatives Council, and Regional Legislative Councils at the province, city and district levels.
Three pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates contesting the election are Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD. – February 13, 2024