goodmorningpapua.com – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) signed a Government Regulation in Lieu of Election Law (Perppu) on Monday (12/12/2022). This regulation changes the number of members of the Indonesian House, which is a consequence of the formation of four new provinces in Papua.
Article 186 of the Election Law initially stated that the number of members of the DPR RI was 575 people. Meanwhile, in the Election Perppu, the number was increased to 580 persons.
“The number of seats for members of the DPR is set at 580 (five hundred and eighty),” reads Article 186 which has been amended in the Election Perppu.
In more detail, this Perppu explanation section clarifies the change in the number of seats in all provinces in Tanah Papua. The province of Papua, which initially received 10 seats, has now been reduced to three seats. Meanwhile, West Papua Province still has three seats.
At the same time, the four new provinces each get three legislature seats. The four provinces are South Papua, Central Papua, Mountain Papua and Southwest Papua.
Perppu Number 1 of 2022 concerning Amendments to the Election Law also adds new points to a number of articles to regulate the implementation of elections in the four new provinces of Papua. The new points relate to the formation of the provincial KPU, the formation of the provincial Bawaslu, exceptions to the requirement that parties must have permanent offices in the four provinces in the 2024 election, and the method for registering DPRD members in the four new autonomous regions (DOB).
In addition to the issue of Papua, this Perppu also changes the provisions for serial numbers of political parties participating in elections. Initially, all parties had to take part in a serial number lottery. Now, parliamentary parties are welcome to vote whether they want to use the old serial numbers or take part in a number lottery. Meanwhile, non-parliamentary parties and new parties must all take part in the serial number drawing at the KPU.
Jokowi signed this Perppu only two days before the KPU conducted the drawing of party numbers participating in the 2024 Election on Thursday, December 14, 2022. The RI KPU also stated that it would immediately follow up on the contents of the Perppu, especially regarding the serial number draw.
“Today, the Indonesian KPU will soon issue Amendments to KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 4 of 2022, specifically with regard to Article 137 and its attachments regarding the document for drawing serial numbers of political parties participating in the election,” said KPU RI Commissioner Idham Holik told reporters, Tuesday (13 /12/2022).