Settled Students Celebrated Feast of Democracy without Going Home

Oleh Ninik Susadi Putri

Editor Ninik Susadi Putri

March 31, 2014

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Democracy has had its "party time". On April 9, the general election (election) legislature has been held, followed by presidential elections three months later. Through this event, Indonesians will choose the leader who is expected to lead the nation of Indonesia to a better direction. However, until now the election has been still constrained by the high number of abstentions or abstained. From the last election which was in 2009, there was a great number of voters who did not vote in their home areas due to migration, one of which for purposes such as student learning.

In order to reduce the number of abstentions, the General Elections Commission (KPU) through a circular, No.127/KPU/III/2014, determining policy regarding the relocation of the voters choose who was running the learning task, job, or has moved to another city domicile. Thus, voters will not have to return to their home to use their right to vote, yet can do it in where they live at the moment.

Mechanism of changing the area suffrage is fairly easy. First of all, voters need to check in advance whether he had registered as voters list (DPT) in the region of origin. This checking can be done by entering the ID number to the commission website which is data.kpu.go.id/dpt.php. If registered, the voter then determine electoral districts based on current domicile. Then, the voters can ask the permission letter to move DPT Voting Committee (PPS) in the region of origin, usually the head of the local neighborhood. Voters will be asked to fill out a A5 form that is intended to DPT corresponding current domicile. If the voter was unable to attend to fill out a form A5 in the region of origin, the process can be represented.

After obtaining the A5 form, voters are required to report to the PPS that will place voting: no later than three days before polling day and date. When reporting, voters must bring the proof of ID and their selves have been enrolled in the DPT. PPS officers will check the form carefully and A5 in the category of voters who choose to move will be put in additional voter list data (DPTb).

If the voter was not registered in the DPT, voters went live Chair of PPS area where he chose while bringing the original ID card and proof has not been registered as a DPT. Then, the voters can have a letter of application submission registering them as DPT and the letter to the local RW. Thus, voters have had the opportunity to vote just like the voters who have registered in the DPT.

Changing DPT Collectively

In order to facilitate the transfer of DPT for ITB students who come from outside Bandung, the Muslim Student Association of Graduate Students (FORSI HIMMPAS) Indonesia, the Muslim Graduate Students Association (KAMIL), and the Muslim Undergraduate Student Association (GAMAIS) established a command post in ITB called ITB Student Care election. Through this post, administration of DPT removal done collectively. Students only need to bring ID cards and KTM, check DPT, then fill in a form appropriate A5 urban village. There are six boroughs which are acceptable to register in, including Castle, Sekeloa, Cipaganti, Lebak Gede, Sadangserang, and Lebak Siliwangi. Those are the sixth largest domicile area for settled students studying in ITB.

Command post was established in Care Election Complex of Salman Mosque of ITB. Since its opening on 22 to 27 March 2014, the number of students who undertake the maintenance of DPT in these posts up to 800 people. It was expected that the establishment of this program, ITB students can be more active and participative in order to national election success.