Home Ministry Speeds up ID Data Recording Process

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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Home Ministry has ordered that all provincial population administration service units must remain open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays to ensure that the data recording process for the issuance of e-IDs is sped up.

The policy was introduced following a Constitutional Court ruling on Thursday that stated that Indonesians aged 17 and above -- the eligible age to participate in elections -- who have yet to receive e-IDs could use suket (recommendation letters) as an alternative identification to vote.

Meanwhile, the General Elections Commission (KPU) said it would immediately send out a circular letter to provincial KPU offices to explain the main points of the ruling, which has a direct impact on the preparation and technical arrangements of the elections.

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said population registration number (NIK) data stated in the suket was recorded in the ministry’s database, adding that its use would not result in data duplication.

"There is no need to worry about possible data abuse because the NIK in the suket is also recorded in the ministry’s database," he said in Jakarta on Friday.

Tjahjo added that the fraudulent use of the suket should be prevented. For this reason, the ministry has also sent out a circular letter to regional heads so that the provincial population and civil registration services would be open on polling day, which is slated for April 17. "We will fully support the KPU if they want to check voters\' data," he said.

Separately, the ministry’s director general of population and civil registration (Dukcapil), Zudan Arif Fakrulloh, said the directorate’s offices in regencies and cities have also been ordered to speed up the recording of population data for the issuance of new e-ID cards for residents. For this reason, all population administration service units in the country would remain open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Dukcapil will also visit schools, prisons, detention centers and hospitals. "We will ask the public to be proactive in data recording. The suket will be issued as soon as the data has been recorded," Zudan said.

Based on Directorate General of Civil Registration records, 4.23 million Indonesians do not have e-IDs, mostly in Papua. According to a circular letter signed by KPU member Pramono Ubaid Tanthowi, it will revise KPU Regulation No. 3/2019 concerning voting and vote counting. The revision is needed as an adjustment to the Constitutional Court\'s decision regarding the judicial review on Law No. 7/2017 on elections. However, the House of Representatives and the government must be consulted first before the revised regulation is implemented.

While waiting on the KPU\'s regulatory revision process, the commission will issue a circular letter to provincial KPU offices on Saturday to explain the main points of the Constitutional Court\'s decision. The circular will be used as a guide by KPU regional offices to carry out their duties.

The circular letter, among other things, regulates the deadline for the change in the voting location, which is up to seven days before election day. However, the deadline extension of 30 days before the voting only applies to people who are sick, affected by natural disasters, serving a sentence or detention, and those on special duties.

The circular states that the population data recorded for the issuance of e-IDs can be used to make suket as an alternative identification when voting. The KPU explained that the vote count at polling stations would be done up to 12 hours after polling day. (INK/LAS/REK/BOW)

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