The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) supports the three new provinces of Papua to participate in the 2024 General Election. The support was conveyed by the Minister, Muhammad Tito Karnavian in the Working Meeting with the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission II and a Hearing Meeting with the Chair of the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Chair of the General Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), and the Chairperson of the Honorary Board of Election Organizers (DKPP).
“The Ministry of Home Affairs supports the general election held in the three new autonomous region of Papua as a result of the expansion of the three new provinces,” said the Minister of Home Affairs in the Commission II DPR RI Meeting Room, Wednesday (31/8/2022).
On that occasion, the Minister of Home Affairs explained the various efforts that had been made by the Ministry of Home Affairs after the issuance of three laws regarding the formation of new provinces in Papua. He added that the Ministry of Home Affairs had compiled a work plan timetable that contained 12 main agendas for the road map. This planning document serves as a guideline for the transition team led by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, especially in the readiness for ratification and implementation of government administration in the three new provinces according with the stipulated deadline.
Then, the Minister of Home Affairs said that the elections in the three new provinces refers to Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections and the Law on the formation of new provinces. In addition, the implementation of the election is guided by the General Election Commission (PKPU) Regulation Number 3 of 2022 concerning the Stages and Schedule for the Implementation of the 2024 Election which has been determined by the KPU on June 9, 2022.
On the other hand, the Minister of Home Affairs explained about the legal implications of holding elections in the new province in Papua. These implications need to be responded to by making changes to some of the substance on the regulations in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections. This includes arrangements for the establishment of election organizers in new provinces, requirements for political parties participating in the elections, as well as the number of seats and electoral districts (Dapil) for DPR RI, Regional Representative Council (DPD), and Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD).
Furthermore, other substance changes is regarding the determination of candidates for DPRD members and the attachment to Law Number 7 of 2017. The attachments include the number of provincial KPU members, the number of provincial Bawaslu members, the number of Electoral District of DPR RI seats, and the number of Electoral District of DPRD seats.
“The Minister of Home Affairs emphasized that the formation of the Electoral District of DPR RI and DPRD is the main requirement so that a new province in Papua can participate in the 2024 General Election, so that the attachment to Law Number 7 of 2017 needs to be adjusted,” said the Minister of Home Affairs.
In this meeting, the agenda is to discuss the follow-up actions after the issuance of the Law on the Establishment of a New Provinces in Papua and its implications for the implementation of the 2024 General Election. The three regulations are Law Number 14 of 2022 concerning the Establishment of the Province of South Papua, Law Number 15 of 2022 concerning the Establishment of the Province of South Papua.