The lack of women's Participation on the Select Team in the Province and City/Regency's Election Committee
The level of women's participation in becoming the Selection Committee (Timsel) for commissioners of the General Elections Commission (KPU) at the provincial to district and city levels is extremely low. Their figure is very low, namely 25 women out of 100 members of Select Comitee. This number is equivalent to 25 percent of the total.
The number of women's participation seems even more saddening because the distribution in the regions is actually too small. In a number of provinces, there were even only one female member in Timsel, or the equivalent of 20 percent. In fact, there are still several regions that do not have women's Timsel, such as for example the provinces of Banten, Southeast Sulawesi and West Sumatra.
In a total of 118 districts/cities spread across 15 provinces, only 17 out of 115 female Timsel members were elected, or equivalent to 14.8%. There are several selection areas that don't even have a women's Timsel at all, such as the areas of DKI Jakarta, Gorontalo, West Kalimantan 1, West Kalimantan 2, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi 1, South Sulawesi 2, West Sumatra 1, West Sumatra 2, and Southeast Sulawesi 3.
As a result, the success rate of female candidates to become General Election commissioners in the regions is too low. Quoting from research results from the Center for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia (Puskapol UI) the figure of women representatives who passed this stage was even below 15%, for example in Jambi Province 13.85%, Banten 10.14%, West Sulawesi 13.55%, Gorontalo 11.63%, Central Papua 12.35 %, and Papua Mountain 10.94%.
Through the findings of the Puskapol UI, it can be concluded that the challenges for women to become election organizers had even started during the registration and checking of administrative files stages.
Even though if viewed from a regulatory perspective, the KPU has provided legal space through the General Election Commission Regulation Number 4 of 2023 concerning the Selection of Members of the Provincial General Election Commission and the Regency/City General Election Commission (PKPU 4/2023). The regulation states that when compiling the composition of the Timsel, the KPU must provide at least 30 percent representation of women.
#The KPU's Reason Why Timsel Has Lack of Women's Participation
The chairman of the Indonesian KPU, Hasyim Asyari, responded to the lack of participation of women in the participation process for the regional KPU Timsel in a number of provinces and urban districts. The Commission has tried to provide an equal opportunity for all parties, both men and women in heading to run to become Timsel. But he argued that he could not do much about the final result.
"We have tried to open the door of opportunity to all parties. We have even tried to open opportunities to become Timsel like other job vacancies as usual, but unfortunately, we cannot do much if the result turns out that only a few women have registered," said Hasyim.
On the other hand, a lawmaker from Commission II of the DPR RI as a partner of the General Election Commission, Guspardi Gaus, revealed that the lack of women's participation is a reflection of the minimal participation of women in politics in Indonesia.
As a PAN MP politician, Guspardi told of his difficulties in getting women to enter politics. He did not deny that there was a regulation in the 2017 Election Law that encouraged women's participation of at least 30 percent in parliament. But it's still hard to do.
"In my previous experience as Chairperson of the PAN regional official in West Sumatra, it was indeed very difficult to recruit female friends to run for electoral districts. I think that was also felt by our friend in KPU regarding Timsel," he explained.
What was conveyed by Hasyim and Guspardi is reflected in the current composition of the KPU and Bawaslu commissioners. There is only one female commissioner at the KPU and Bawaslu. It seems that the too small number of women's participation is also spread over a number of provincial and district/city KPUs and Bawaslu.
So that the lack number of commissioners for the election organizers indicates the weakness of the Indonesian KPU's commitment to upholding policies on the affirmation and participation of women. Especially in an effort to realize the participation of 30 percent of women in parliament. In fact, the selection process for the Timsel was carried out behind closed doors, where the Indonesian KPU had full discretion to select and appoint the selected Timsel directly.
#Women's Participation in Timsel is the Form of Anticipating Conflicts of Interest in the Selection of KPU Commissioners
The Executive Director of Puskapol UI, Hurriyah revealed that the KPU needs to evaluate the lack of women's participation in becoming the Provincial and District Election Commission Timsel. In fact, the number is far from the PKPU 4/2023 stipulation.
"The KPU RI as the executor of the law as well as the party that ensures the holding of elections with integrity and inclusiveness must ensure gender equality in the composition of provincial and district/city KPU members which is currently running," said Hurriyah.
The head of South Sulawesi KPU's Select Committee, Nur Fadhillah Mappaselleng, made the same comment. She said that as a woman, she must have the courage to take chances. For her, if women do not immediately take action, the potential to be involved in the KPU's Timsel will fade over time.
"I will try to screen out more women in South Sulawesi to sit as organizers," said Nur Fadhillah.
The Trustees Perludem Titi Anggraini suspected that there was a compromise between interest groups regarding the minimum participation of women in the KPU's Timsel. She is worried that the lack of gender representation could affect the decision-making process so that the interests of a number of groups for the 2024 election can freely infiltrate the KPU.
"My guess is that there is too much confusion and compromise of the interests of the groups that the KPU wants to accommodate so that it ignores the commitment to the representation of women's representation. This should be a critical note for us together," she explained.
She asked the public to keep an eye on every KPU move which he considered suspicious because it involved minimal women. She is worried that if this is not monitored, a similar incident will occur in the next election process.
"Moreover, the selection process is still ongoing. Don't let those who are elected, the results will be even worse than before. I hope the public will continue to monitor and voice this issue," She said.
Author: Irfan Al Amin
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