[Jakarta, September 7, 2020] Amid today’s multidimensional crisis, the General Elections Commission (KPU) should take stronger steps to encourage voters to choose regional head candidates who are free from corruption—especially corruption related to natural resources—and who are firmly committed to rejecting money politics, rent-seeking practices, and the reckless issuance of permits before, during, and after the elections. The KPU should also disclose and publish candidates’ track records in a transparent and comprehensive manner.
This was conveyed by Muhammad Teguh Surya, Executive Director of Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan, in response to the 2020 Simultaneous Regional Elections (Pilkada). The election process has now entered a crucial stage, namely candidate registration, with official candidate pairs to be announced on September 23, 2020.
“In the midst of this pandemic, the regional elections must become a momentum to produce resilient, pro-environment leaders—leaders capable of guiding their regions through the current crisis and those that may arise in the future. Choosing environmentally conscious candidates—those who uphold constitutional mandates—is no longer optional,” he emphasized.
At this stage, the role of political parties and the KPU in selecting and screening the best candidates is central and under public scrutiny. Citizens expect political parties and the KPU to nominate individuals who not only possess the capacity to govern but also demonstrate strong commitment to environmental protection.
“In the face of a multidimensional crisis—health, economic, and environmental—political parties must properly fulfill their recruitment function,” Teguh stated.
While the candidate registration process on September 4–6 was conducted smoothly and deserves appreciation, Teguh stressed that the elections must offer solutions rather than add to existing burdens. “The answer begins with political parties endorsing the best individuals—those ready to compete and deliver meaningful breakthroughs,” he added.
Teguh also noted that this year’s elections are fundamentally different due to the pandemic. “The 2020 elections must produce leaders with a bold vision for regional recovery and strong commitment to resolving environmental problems that are increasingly alarming,” he said.
Muhammad Arief Virgy, Insight Analyst at Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan, highlighted the growing environmental degradation in Indonesia, particularly the continued loss of natural forest cover.
“Indonesia’s natural forests serve critical ecological and economic functions. It is deeply concerning that forest loss continues, as it dims prospects for a better future,” Virgy explained.
He also pointed out that the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations has increasingly squeezed community living spaces, fueling agrarian conflicts. Moreover, oil palm expansion has not been accompanied by improvements in regional welfare, as reflected in low Human Development Index (HDI) and Village Development Index (IDM) scores in several oil palm-producing regions.
Drawing lessons from the 2018 regional elections, Madani’s analysis showed that of the 17 elected provincial leaders, only three explicitly mentioned specific environmental problems they intended to address. The rest merely referred to environmental conservation without outlining concrete programs. More concerning, almost no elected governor–deputy governor pair had a specific platform to accelerate recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights, even in provinces with large Indigenous populations.
Madani has formally written to eight major political party leaders participating in the 2020 elections—PDI Perjuangan, Golkar Party, Democratic Party, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Gerindra Party, National Mandate Party (PAN), NasDem Party, and National Awakening Party (PKB)—urging them to endorse environmentally committed candidates. While outcomes remain uncertain, public attention is now focused on the KPU as it conducts candidate verification.
Editor’s Note:
Previous MADANI reports on elections and Indonesia’s forests can be accessed at the following links:
Indonesia’s Forests in the 2019 Elections
Madani Insight Vol. 1: Oil Palm, Conflict, Regional Economy, Forest and Land Fires, and Disasters
Madani Insight Vol. 2: Oil Palm, Village Welfare, and Productivity
Media Contacts:
Muhammad Teguh Surya, Executive Director, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan – +62 812 9480 1453
M. Arief Virgy, Insight Analyst, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan – +62 877 0899 4241
Luluk Uliyah, Senior Media Communication, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan – +62 815 1986 8887
