"The potential of conflict during regional election in 2018, in our opinion is high. Because the contest in 2018 would involve many issues," KPU Chief Arief Budiman said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The General Election Commission (KPU) has predicted a higher potential of conflict during the simultaneous regional elections in 2018.

KPU Chief Arief Budiman said, some factors that might spark the conflict are its close schedule with the general election in 2019, the number of regions held the simultaneous election, the number of voters, and its high budget.

"The potential of conflict during regional election in 2018, in our opinion is high. Because the contest in 2018 would involve many issues," Arief said here, Tuesday.

As many as 171 regions that comprised of 17 provinces and 154 districts/municipalities, would hold the simultaneous elections in June 2018.

The elections would run at the same time with the preparation for the 2019 legislative and presidential elections.

Arief said, considering such situation, election organizers should work harder to prepare the regional elections as well as general election in 2019.

Another factor that could spark the conflict would be the number of voters which is close to voters of general elections.

"The number of voters in the simultaneous elections in 2018 was recorded at some 158 million, or some 80 percent of the total voters in the general election that reach 197 million," he said.

The government has worked on coordination with the elections organizers including KPU and the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to anticipate any conflict during the election.

Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto said, the government has mapped regions prone to electoral conflict, especially in Papua and West Papua provinces.

"Currently, we focus on Papua. We will improve the noken system. And with our experience in the past, tension in Papua has increased during the regional election and general election," Wiranto said.

The government, KPU and Bawaslu have worked on coordination to prepare any movement to anticipate possible riots during the elections in 2018 and 2019, Wiranto added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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