EO Exceeds Its Authority: Story |
My friend from Aceh Utara, Halimi, and I asked a committee member for attendance at the meeting from Aceh Province. At first it was a woman whose name we didn't know. He said the files from Aceh were not there.
"Have you searched there?" asked Halimi, pointing to a pile of paper in an environmentally friendly paper bag.
"Nothing. You can't do it," said the woman.
We waited. While waiting, participants from other provinces continued to gather. They disrupted the queue, causing us to be pushed to the back. I've been waiting for almost 30 minutes because after breaking the fast, I immediately stood in front of the committee table so I could immediately register.
Hazimi joined later. Previously we had agreed that we would stay in the same room. The committee has provided one room for two people. We could leave it up to the committee where we would be placed, but then we would worry about not finding suitable roommates.
Then another committee member came who seemed to have a higher position than the other committee members. Hazimi again asked for presence for Aceh, the woman, who was slightly chubby and with a slightly sullen face, said there was none without looking.
Hazimi suggested that we submit our names first as proof that we have registered. The slightly fat woman with a bitchy face then said it couldn't be like that. We continued waiting amidst the busyness to our right as participants from other provinces signed the attendance register.
The sour-faced woman asked us to queue at the back. I was annoyed because I had been advised this twice while I was the first person in line but had not been served. But I joked that I didn't want to queue at the back because, "I didn't want to be far from you."
A committee member who had said that the presence of Acehnese participants was not in the pile of paper bags, found the presence there. This is what provokes our annoyance. "What was said earlier was that there wasn't any," he said. The sour-faced woman said that was not the only task they had to do.
There was a debate. I said the EO (event organizer) was unprofessional.
"Why, sir?" looked at the woman with a sour face as if asking for confirmation. Maybe he thought I wouldn't do it again. I don't want to be challenged, I immediately repeated in a louder voice that the EO was indeed unprofessional. They should clearly see the presence of each province.
Always have to be angry to be served, I said again. The thing is, in the WA Nusantara group I have received information that there are participants from North Sumatra who previously also had to be angry.
When he entered his room at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta, Hazimi admitted that he had never been as angry as before. I told the story of a KPU member from Papua who hit the table because he was served late and felt he was being played with.
I thought the problem was resolved, but apparently not. I think the sour-faced woman reported to the Republic of Indonesia Bawaslu secretariat about the incident, of course with a little spice that we were cursing. Sis Meta, a member of the Aceh Panwaslih, said it was impossible for Hazimi and Suhaimi to curse.
Suhaimi is a person under suspicion. I corrected that it was not Suhaimi who was right, but me and Hazimi. I also told the true story. It turns out the incident has spread everywhere.
When I saw the sour-faced woman, I wanted to clarify. But Hazimi said there was no need. I agree, never because it's just a small problem and just a waste of time.
This incident is of concern to me. How could an EO ask that the district/city Bawaslu leadership be warned like that? EO's influence is huge if that's the case.
I told several friends from Aceh. I have been a member of the North Aceh KPU for 15 years and attended hundreds of trainings or meetings managed by the EO, never experienced anything like this. There were even participants who hit the table, but the EO did not have to report it and asked the participants to be warned.
This is my first experience at Bawaslu and it will be a lesson that I will always remember. However, I will remain critical and protest if treated like that, even though it must be reported to the leadership. I jokingly said, "They should just report to the Honorary Council."
