Perludem: Implementation of Sipol Is Not Contradicting the Elections Law and It’s Important for Validating Political Party in Registration Process

The Elections Commission (KPU) receives many criticisms because of implementing the Political Party Information System (Sipol) in the political party registration process for the 2019 National Elections. Many of those critics say, the implementation of Sipol has no legal basis in the Elections Law. They also complain about how the Sipol website and servers are difficult to access.

The Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), however, have different opinion. Sipol, according to the Executive Director of Perludem Titi Anggraini, is an instrument that could help KPU in validating the registration process of a political party. Sipol could also enhance the institution of political party.

“In the context of election management process, Sipol is a facility for KPU. I can’t imagine KPU will be able to conduct the registration process optimally without something like Sipol,” says Titi.

A Perludem researcher, Fadli Ramadhanil, agrees with Titi. Fadli says the implementation of Sipol is not contradicting the content of the Elections Law and KPU has the authority to make the use of Sipol in registration process mandatory.

“KPU is, indeed, prohibited to make any regulation that is contradictory with the Elections Law. But, in what way does the implementation of Sipol is contradicting the Elections Law? I don’t think it is,” says Fadli.