Eight Candidates for Bawaslu Members Undergo First-Day Interview

Eight candidates for the selection of the new members of the Election Monitoring Body (Bawaslu) undergo the first-day interview with the Special Team for the Selection of the New Members of Bawaslu today. Those eight candidates are: Sapto Supono, Saiful, Yan Marli, Ratna Dewi P., Mohammad Najib, Sakka Pati, Bagus Sarwono, and Abhan.

Members of the Special Team for the Selection ask each candidate questions for one hour. The Special Team also allow general audience to ask several questions to the candidates.

Members of the Special Team mainly focus on questions regarding candidates’ integrity, independence, and candidates’ knowledge on election technology. They relentlessly grill every candidate with questions regarding their affiliation with political party, business entity, and their kinship relation with public officials. Members of the Special Team also ask about candidates’ personal financial statement.

At the end of the interview session, Members of the Special Team also ask candidates to sign a pact which contains a statement that the candidates will not seek any political support if they are selected by the President to be assessed by the members of the Parliament for further selection process.

“You may refuse to sign this pact. Before you sign the pact, please read the statement out loud so the public can hear you,” says Saldi Isra, the Chairperson of the Special Team.