House Speaker Dr. (H.C.) Puan Maharani. Photo: Eno/Man

House Speaker Dr. (H.C.) Puan Maharani appreciated President Joko Widodo’s appointment of a selection committee for candidate members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) for the 2022-2027 period, hoping the committee will select the best candidates for the jobs.

"The candidate members appointed by President will undergo a fit and proper test at the House, and hopefully we will get the best persons for the jobs," said Maharani in a press statement received by Parlementaria on Wednesday (13/10/2021). "The House will eventually select the best of the best to organize the general elections."

She also called for good and fair elections that will ensure the constitutional rights of all citizens, which are to vote or to be voted in that democratic event. Good general elections require, among others, a competent, credible, integrated, and independent commission, she added. "Therefore, the General Elections should start with a transparent and accountable selection for the members of KPU and Bawaslu by the selection committee," she said.

Maharani said members of the selection committee for the KPU and Bawaslu had shown representation from government, scholars, society, and women, as stipulated in Law No. 7 of 2017 on General Elections. "Let's support and oversee the performance of the KPU and Bawaslu election committee for the benefit of the nation," said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician. (ann/sf-mut)