The New Bawaslu’s Board of Members Should Strengthen Institutional Independence

Initiative for Constitution and Democracy (KoDe Inisiatif) express their hope that the new board of members of the Election Monitoring Body (Bawaslu) will be able to improve the integrity and transparency of the institution. According to KoDe Initiatif, Bawaslu should be able to fend off undue external influence in order to monitor election process impartially.

“Bawaslu should be able to make decision independently. Many people will definitely try to make contact with Bawaslu, either on due and justified purpose or the contrary. Bawaslu should be careful and be wise in responding to those people,” says the Chairman of KoDe Inisiatif, Veri Junaidi, during a public discussion “EMBs Independence and the Regulations in the New Elections Law Bill” in Jakarta (04/12).

In addition, Veri also hopes that Bawaslu will be able to improve their performance as an election monitoring institution. Especially, Bawaslu should make a breakthrough in law enforcement and institutional transparency. Such breakthrough will be able to increase public participation in the election monitoring activity.