TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, has revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has tasked the ministry to evaluate the current general election system. During a speech at the seminar on election system hosted by the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Bima quoted Prabowo as saying, “Please, the Ministry of Home Affairs needs to study our election system, it's not effective, not efficient.”

Bima said that the order was conveyed when inviting ministerial candidates and deputy ministers to his residence in Kertanegara.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) politician also explained that Prabowo's directive stemmed from growing societal concerns regarding the high costs of political campaigns and the perceived divisiveness of elections. "The President is aware of the issues happening in our society,” he noted.

According to him, the Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to present a concrete proposal for electoral reform, but he assured that the ministry is actively seeking public input, including from organizations and community coalitions, to inform potential changes to the election regulations for future elections. 

“We will hold public forums to conduct thorough studies and ensure that any changes are not rushed,” he emphasized.

At the same event, Perludem proposed several reforms to the legislative body (baleg) of the House of Representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging for the enactment of a revised Election Law by 2025. 

Perludem researcher Heroik suggested consolidating the Election Law through an omnibus law approach, combining Law Number 10 of 2019 regarding Regional Elections with Law Number 7 of 2023. “By consolidating the Election Laws into a single codification, we can streamline the electoral process,” he explained.

In addition to unifying election laws, Perludem proposed adopting a mixed electoral system, arguing that the current open-list proportional system is ineffective in fostering strong connections between voters and candidates. 

The organization also suggested redesigning ballot papers to improve voter clarity. For instance, parliamentary election ballots could list only party names and the most popular candidate from each party, making it easier for voters to identify their preferred candidates. 

Heroik expressed hope that the Election Bill would be finalized by 2025, allowing ample time for preparations for the 2029 election under the new legal framework. “It's crucial to avoid starting the election process without a complete legal foundation,” he concluded.

Annisa Febiola contributed to the writing of this article.

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