Fake E-KTP Threatens Democracy

KOMPAS/MAHDI MUHAMMAD

Staffers of the Home Ministry’s population and civil registration directorate general clip damaged e-ID cards on May 5, 2018 at the ministry’s warehouse in Semplak, Bogor regency, West java. The ministry has proposed to destroy up to 800,000 damaged e-ID cards.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The circulation of blank e-KTP cards on the market poses a serious threat to the democratic process. Moreover, the election organizers don’t have an adequate system or tools to check the authenticity of e-KTPs.

During 2017-2018, there were at least two cases related to the misuse of electronic identity cards (e-KTPs), namely the duplication of an e-KTP and the alleged use of a counterfeit e-KTP. Both problems have been handled by the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), but were only limited to administrative matters.

A Kompas investigative report from October to November 2018 unveiled that blank e- KTP cards were circulating in the market. One of them was found in Pasar Pramuka Pojok, Central Jakarta, and another one was obtained from the Tokopedia online marketplace. It is believed that the blank e-KTP cards were used to make counterfeit e-KTPs.

The chairman of Bawaslu, Abhan Misbah, said that Bawaslu had so far only relied on physical observations to check the authenticity of the e-KTP cards. However, regarding the circulation of the blank e-KTP cards in the market, which were used as the main material to make fake e-KTPs, Abhan said tighter supervision was needed.

"This ID card is valid proof that one is a resident in certain areas. However, the case [circulation of blank e-KTP cards in the black market] has raised questions," he said.

Previously, the Indonesian Ombudsman received a report on the alleged use of fake e-KTP cards by a political party in order to qualify as an election participant. The evidence was submitted to the Jombang Regional Election Commission, East Java, at the end of 2017.

A member of the Ombudsman, Ahmad Suaedy, said the evidence of the fake e-KTP card received by the Jombang election commission was in the form of a black and white photocopy. Because it was unclear, the evidence was rejected and the related political party was asked to replace it.

When submitting the replacement, Suaedy said, the political party submitted the original e- KTP card of the same person stated in the photocopy. However, the e-KTP card was suspected to be counterfeit because its physical appearance was different from the photocopy submitted earlier.

Public trust

According to Abhan, to verify the authenticity of e-KTP cards, Bawaslu still relied on a physical examination. For example, the examination of a number of e-KTP cards submitted as evidence that a political party had enough support to become an election participant was carried out by the Jombang election commission without using an e-card reader.

Abhan also admitted that he never used an e-card reader from the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Home Ministry to check the authenticity of the e-KTP cards that were submitted by a political party as a requirement to become an election participant. "Back then, we just checked physically. The name can be similar," he said.

Separately, the commissioner of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Viryan Azis, explained that, thus far, he did not know how the fake e-KTP cards would be used in the election. "Neither incumbents nor rival candidates will benefit. The circulation of fake e-KTP cards must be immediately stopped to maintain public distrust over the election results," he said.

He did not deny that the fake e-KTP cards could be misused to register as an additional voter in the special voter list (DPK) in the remaining one hour of voting. "Holders of the fake e-KTP can claim themselves as local citizens in certain polling stations and can participate in voting. This is prone to occur in cities because citizens are more individual and do not know each other," he said.

Viryan said that the KPU had obtained access to population data at the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration to ensure the population number (NIK) of each citizen had been listed in the Potential Election Voters List (DP4). From the results of the KPU\'s interim examination, the mismatch of data in NIK and DP4 was still found.

"There were people who already had NIK, but they were not listed in DP4. Then, there was also an incident in which, when we input the NIK, instead another name appeared in the system. It still needs some improvements," he said.

KPU can verify

Zudan Arif Fakrulloh, the director general of Population and Civil Registration at the Home Ministry, said he hoped that the election organizers could make the most of access to the population’s data.

"If a voter uses voting rights in the remaining one hour by using a suspicious e-KTP card, members of the KPPS (polling station working committee) can photograph the NIK in the e-KTP card and send it the KPU. Later, the KPU can check the authenticity of the NIK," he said.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said the government was still investigating the circulation of blank e-KTP cards in the market. "Regarding that in Pasar Peramuka, it is still being investigated, where the seller obtained the blank e-KTP cards and what was wrong,” said Tjahjo.

According to Tjahjo, if the blank e-KTP cards found in the market came from a population office official, this official would not hesitate to dismiss an employee. "We are firm, we will fire them, including the

former head of the population office in Lampung and his son. They will be taken to court. We remain firm with the sanction," said Tjahjo.