SBS Indonesia briefly covered on location. The atmosphere looks crowded with many voters queuing in front of the KJRI gates and among the prepared Polling Places (polling stations).
According to Melbourne Foreign Electoral Commission (PPLN Melbourne) chairman Isvet Novera, in this election there were 12,357 Indonesians on the Permanent List of Overseas Voters (DPT) in Melbourne, which includes the states of Victoria and Tasmania.
Meanwhile, according to Melbourne Election Supervision Committee (Panwaslu) chairman Mulyoto Pangestu, there are about 10 per cent or 1,200 of the number of voters included in the Additional Overseas Voters Register in Melbourne. In fact, the number of more ballots cast by the Commission is only 2 percent aka about 200-250 ballots.
“New arrivals are 20 percent less. That hasn't come 70 percent. Whether after 4 o'clock there will be a flood of voters, we'll see later,” Mulyoto explained when interviewed at the site.
This state of affairs is indeed a bit unsettling, aka “cringe-inducing good,” as he is.
To address possible technical glitches such as duplicate data of Elections, several strategies have been applied, explains Isvet.
“We are already using Sidalih data - the largest Voter Data System in the center. For double data has been much reduced. Not zero but it has been much reduced,” he said,
“I have done several sorties from jakarta. All domestic and foreign data is cross-checked.”
The move reduces the chance that a voter could be registered in more than one location - in Indonesia and Australia at once, for example.
The vote will be counted on February 14, according to the organization in Indonesia, Isvet added.
According to him, the Commission has given leeway for those who suddenly have to move polling stations from home to abroad.
“Since the Commission gives leeway, it is possible to move to choose H-7 for people who move from home to abroad,” he explained.
“It is possible again now on D-Day from country to country. For example from Singapore to Melbourne we still accept. So the rules have been very relaxed.”
The rules surrounding elections are often broadcast through the realm of medsos, he added.
SBS Indonesian berbincang dengan para pemilih
In Australia, campaigns of political parties and legislative candidates can still be held on H-day aka election day. It is common to see political parties handing out brochures and campaigning at polling stations.
However, the Indonesian elections know a quiet period, that is, a time when campaigning is not allowed close to H day. When at the polling place, it is forbidden to wear party attributes or candidate partners (paslon).
Apparently, there are quite a lot of Indonesians who have forgotten about this quiet period, perhaps because they have been domiciled in Australia for a long time,
“Because here is the 10th of calm, we decided on election day that no one should carry attributes. But from some previous elections and this morning, there were people who probably wanted to wear a shirt with a picture of a paslon,” Mulyoto said,
“They may not want to campaign but want to show off, 'I'm the supporter'. Yes already. We were forced to ban it. Some of us borrow clothes to cover or please go home and change clothes.”
To date, there are no plans to impose an exception regarding the quiet period for Indonesian elections in Australia.
“If in Indonesia it is stated not to wear attributes then we should follow that.”
As for campaigning in Australia, it's actually okay, as long as you get permission from the local Australian government, not just ask for permission from KJRI or Panwaslu.
“So of course people want to campaign in Melbourne there are conditions. Let's say they want to campaign in Federation Square not permission from the City Council, yes not allowed,” Mulyoto explained.
Election Literacy Abroad Those
who are in Melbourne during the campaign usually get information about political parties or candidate figures from the media such as debates between parties broadcast on Youtube or through discussions in groups such as Whatsapp groups.
Ani, a PhD student at Monash University who met SBS Indonesia at a polling station in Melbourne, used the list of candidates she got through the brochure to find out more about the candidates in her home constituency, namely in Yogyakarta.
“Friends (fellow WNI overseas) are quite proactive looking for that information. Now many resources can be accessed online,” he explained.
Anggota PPLN Melbourne Juni 2023 Credit: Ricky Onggokusumo
Three WNI that SBS Indonesia met at the site: Narto, Doni and Wayan, stated that they did not obtain information from any source other than the scope of their promiscuity.
“There is no information. We look for ourselves. Just ask your friends,” they explained.
