"There is no issue at all (in our supervision work). Open-list or closed-list (proportional representation system) is not an issue for us. We are performing supervision of all election stages, and as the current system is an open proportional representation, it is what we are overseeing now," Bagja stated here Monday.
Despite the ongoing discourses on changes in the election system and emerging proposals to adopt closed-list or a blend of both list systems, Bagja emphasized that his agency will continue to work in accordance with Law No. 7 of 2017 on Election.
"What is clear right now is that the current system is an open-list proportional representation. Bawaslu's actions and works will be based on the prevailing law," the agency head remarked.
Bagja noted that voters will be able to select only their preferred party in an election with a closed-list system, as ballot papers will show merely party logos without candidate lists.
Discourses on the election system changes were initiated by the ongoing judicial review of the Election Law at the Constitutional Court, and approval of the judicial review means that Indonesia will start using the closed-list proportional representation in elections.
Responding to the discourses on election system changes, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo earlier suggested a middle ground with regard to the open-list and closed-list proportional election system.
The speaker also acknowledged that the two systems have their pros and cons.
"To free ourselves (from merely revolving about) the open-list or closed-list systems, I propose the middle ground, which will be a mix of open and closed systems, as currently used in Germany," Soesatyo stated at the inauguration of the Graha PENA 98 building here Sunday (February 19).
The open-list proportional representation allows political candidates to become more engaged with the people, yet it is vulnerable to money politics, and competent candidates could be sidelined due to their lack of capital, he stated.
Meanwhile, the closed-list proportional representation gives the authority to select candidates to parties that can select competent candidates despite their lack of capital. However, the system will diminish interactions between individual political candidates and voters.
Related news: Impossible to postpone 2024 general election: supervisory agency
Related news: Ensure openness in poll processes: Bawaslu
Translator: Tri Meilani A, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
