REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called for anticipatory steps to prevent social conflicts during the simultaneous regional head elections in December 2015.
"There are matters that need to be anticipated such as in certain regions where social tensions were recently reported. We should pay serious attention to this," Minister/State Secretary Pratikno quoted the president as saying on Tuesday.
President Jokowi held a meeting with representatives of the General Elections Commission (KPU), the General Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu), and the Honorary Council of the General Elections (DKPP) at the State Palace on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the president was accompanied by Pratikno and Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, among others.
Pratikno said the other potential areas of conflict included regions where the head candidates were still questioned by the public.
"We have to pay serious attention to this. Also, attention should be given to regions where there is only one candidate," he affirmed.
He stated that likely problems to be faced during the simultaneous regional head elections were also discussed on Monday during a cabinet meeting.
"We discussed it further today, and the KPU, Bawaslu, and DKPP offered complete explanations. The president heard their reports," noted Pratikno.
On Monday, President Jokowi had called for detecting any potential conflict ahead of the regional elections.
"He just now ordered us all, especially the National Intelligence Agency (BNN), the national police chief, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to ensure early detection of any potential conflict in several regions," Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo remarked on Monday.
He noted that the conditions have so far been peaceful before the simultaneous regional elections scheduled in several regions on December 9.
He revealed that sufficient budgetary support had been made available for holding the elections in nine provinces, 224 districts, and six cities.
"Some regions, however, are still facing a budget deficit although their need for election funds could still be met by the provincial government. This is still being discussed by the concerned legislative assemblies and the election supervisory body (Bawaslu)," he stated.
The minister remarked that Rp7.1 trillion worth of funds have been provided through regional budgets.
He remarked that at the meeting, the president had also ordered close monitoring of voters' lists.
He hoped the elections would run smoothly, successfully, and democratically.
On November 4, a team from the office of the coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs, Bawaslu, and the police will visit some conflict-prone regions.
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