In Indonesia's electoral process, the Commission on Elections (KPU) has made a notable decision regarding the presentation of data graphs concerning the presidential and legislative election results in the 2024 elections through Sirekap. This move has sparked reactions from cyber experts, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Sirekap, a system previously under scrutiny due to discrepancies in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Optical Mark Reader (OMR) readings, server locations, and potential vote inflation, has now undergone another transformation. The KPU's decision to omit certain functionalities, notably the display of data graphs, has ignited debates on the system's integrity and its implications for public trust.
Pratama Persadha, Chairman of the cyber research institution CISSReC, emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying issues within Sirekap rather than resorting to feature removal. He argued that such actions could fuel suspicions of clandestine manipulation, eroding the transparency essential for democratic processes.
"The removal of these features may inadvertently sow seeds of doubt regarding the integrity of the electoral process. Without access to transparent recapitulation features and graphical representations of voting outcomes, the public's ability to verify interim results is compromised," stated Pratama.
While acknowledging that Sirekap's displayed results are not definitive, Pratama underscored its fundamental role in fostering transparency by disseminating preliminary calculations to the public.
"By stripping Sirekap of its recapitulation and graphical features, its intended purpose is undermined, raising questions about the justification for investing substantial resources in a system that fails to fulfill its core functions," Pratama added.
Earlier reports indicated that as of 23:40 WIB, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the official website pemilu2024.kpu.go.id ceased to display graphical representations of presidential and legislative election results. Instead, it solely featured images of model C result forms. Previously, the KPU's website provided graphical representations of voting percentages for both the presidential and legislative elections.
Idham Holik, Head of the Technical Division of the Indonesian KPU, defended the decision, stating that the policy now only entails presenting authentic images of model C result forms through Sirekap. According to Idham, this policy eliminates the display of numerical data concerning interim vote counts.
"KPU's primary objective with Sirekap is to publish authentic images of model C result forms. These forms, witnessed by candidate representatives, political parties, and overseen by Election Supervisory Committees (Panwas), serve as genuine evidence of voting outcomes," Idham clarified.
However, concerns persist regarding the accuracy of Sirekap's technological readings, particularly when discrepancies arise before the data undergoes validation by KPPS uploaders and KPU operators at the district/city level.
"Instances where Sirekap's technological readings are inaccurate or incomplete before validation can fuel public skepticism and erode trust in the electoral process," Idham acknowledged.
In essence, the KPU's decision to alter Sirekap's functionalities has sparked a contentious debate surrounding electoral transparency and accountability. As Indonesia navigates its democratic journey, ensuring the integrity and credibility of electoral processes remains paramount for upholding democratic principles and public trust. where is mc potions chart reveal
