Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia will hold the 2024 Regional Head Elections on November 27, 2024, in 37 provinces, 415 districts, and 93 cities, with a total of 1,557 pairs of leader candidates in the fray.To realize election integrity, the principles of democratic, direct, public, free, and confidential (luber) as well as free and fair elections must be upheld.
ntegrity of regional polls key
The inauguration of elected governors and vice governors will be carried out on February 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of district heads and deputy district heads as well as mayors and deputy mayors is scheduled to be held on February 10, 2025.
The leaders are expected to realize the programs and promises while also avoiding corruption for the progress of their respective regions.
Furthermore, they will need to strongly uphold the values of integrity, prioritize good governance principles, and not misuse their authority.
Need for integrity
There are several reasons why integrity must be upheld in the regional head elections.
First, regional heads have vast authority, specifically in terms of managing the government and regional finances.
Second, many regional heads have been caught in corruption cases. Based on the records of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as of 2023, as many as 188 regional heads have been named as suspects in such cases.
Third, there are risks of vote buying during the regional head elections.
To prevent corruption in regions, the KPK, through the Coordination and Supervision Directorate, is mapping corruption-prone areas through the Monitoring Center for Prevention (MCP).
MCP has an important role as a key internal control tool in efforts to eradicate corruption in the regions.
It has a strategic role in controlling and preventing the potential of corruption. Through continuous monitoring and evaluation, it helps ensure good governance.
MCP covers eight intervention areas, namely planning, regional budget budgeting, procurement of goods and services, public services, Government Internal Control Apparatus (APIP) supervision, civil servants management, optimization of regional taxes, and management of regional assets.
It illustrates the areas that need extra improvement and those that are in the "good" category.
In 2023, as many as 546 regional governments evaluated corruption prevention efforts through the MCP and produced a national index of 75.13, which reflected a decline of 1.16 points compared to the results of the 2022 MCP.
As an evaluation of the MCP achievements, the KPK Coordination and Supervision Directorate has carried out the preparation and harmonization of MCP indicators and sub-indicators with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).
Then, in the 2024 MCP, eight intervention areas have been determined with 26 indicators and 62 sub-indicators.
The changes have been adjusted to the evaluation of the MCP score, the 2023 Integrity Assessment Survey, and the Experience Dimension in the 2023 Anti-Corruption Behavior Index, which have experienced a decline.
As part of the monitoring of implementation in the field, a number of MCP in-depth programs will be carried out, including monitoring the implementation of procurement of goods and services, monitoring public services with related stakeholders, strengthening the APIP to optimize supervision, and improving other governance, such as the resolution of problematic regional assets.
To prepare for regional head elections, the General Elections Organizer Honorary Council (DKPP) brought together 622 election organizers in Jakarta for a coordination meeting from November 4–6, 2024.
The invitees included 17 heads of KPU provincial offices, 17 heads of the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) provincial offices, 282 heads of KPU city and district offices, and 306 heads of Bawaslu's city and district offices from 17 provinces in Sumatra, Java, and Bali.
The officials were invited to build common understanding on the implementation of election organizers' ethics ahead of the regional head elections.
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The DKPP has received 581 complaints regarding ethics violations as of November 2. The figure is much higher than the 325 complaints recorded in 2023.
Govt commitment
The elimination of corruption is a commitment of the government led by President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
It is outlined in point number 7 of their government's Asta Cita goals, which pertains to strengthening political, legal, and bureaucratic reforms and strengthening the prevention and eradication of corruption and drug abuse.
In his inaugural speech at the Parliamentary Complex, Jakarta, on October 20, 2024, Prabowo noted that budget leakage, irregularities, and collusion among politicians, government officials, and businesspersons still persist.
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Therefore, he emphasized the government's commitment to eradicating corruption by improving the system as well as strict law enforcement and digitalization.
At the recent 2024 Central Government and Regional Governments Coordination Meeting, the President firmly said that he will not hesitate to take action against leaders at the central or regional levels who are found to be corrupt.
At the meeting, Vice President Gibran also asked regional heads to respond seriously to the implementation of MCP by the KPK.
The messages from the President and Vice President should serve as a reminder for prospective regional heads to realize corruption-free governance.
As long as regional heads strongly uphold integrity in carrying out their tasks, they should not be worried about landing in the KPK's net.