JAKARTA — Commissioner of the Election Commission (KPU) of RI Mochammad Afifuddin stated that environmental issues will most likely be one of the themes in the debate of candidates for the presidential election and vice president of the 2024 presidential election. This was stated by Afif in a public seminar held by CSIS in Jakarta, Thursday (2/11/2023).
“We haven't made a decision yet, but 99.99 percent of environmental issues will be one of the issues that are prioritized as a topic in one of the themes of the debate,” Afif said.
He explained that when the Commission has set environmental issues as one of the topics of debate, the expert team will formulate environmental issues. The issue will be raised during the debate so that the candidates can express their ideas about the environment.
On that occasion, Afif denied the disinformation spread on social media that there will be no presidential and vice presidential debates in the 2024 presidential election. He reiterated that the Commission must hold the debate because it has been mandated by the Election Law.
In fact, he continued, the title of the presidential candidates' debate is regulated in more detail in Commission Regulation (PKPU) Number 15 of 2023 on Campaigns. The regulation stipulates that candidate debates be held by the Commission during the campaign period (28 November 2023—10 February 2024). The debate was held five times, consisting of three interpresidential debates and two inter-presidential debates.
The holding of the debate was broadcast live nationally by electronic mass media. In addition, debate moderators must be from among professionals and academics who have the high integrity, honesty, and impartiality of one of the candidates.
Afif said that his party is now still reviewing the place where the candidate debates will be held. Because, there is a discourse that the five times the debate will not only be held in Jakarta, but shared with other cities. “(The discourse) is in our thinking, but this we should definitely coordinate to each of the candidates. If we propose to one city outside Jakarta, object or not,” Afif said
Precampaign
The Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) RI reminds all political parties participating in the 2024 election and candidates for legislative members (candidates) not to campaign after KPU RI has determined the Permanent Candidates List (DCT) for Members of Parliament and DPRD. This is the content of Bawaslu RI's letter of appeal to all political parties dated October 27, 2023.
KPU RI will appoint and announce the DCT of Members of Parliament on 3 and 4 November 2023. As for the new campaign period, it will start on November 28, 2023. “From November 4 to November 27, 2023, it is the time of 'Prohibited Campaigns' so election participants are urged not to carry out activities that contain elements of election campaigns and invitations to vote,” said Chairman of Bawaslu RI Rahmat Bagja in the letter of appeal.
Bagja explained that the activities that fall into the campaign category are holding citizen meetings, distributing campaign brochures, installing campaign props, self-promotion on social media, and other activities that contain campaign elements. An activity or content is considered a campaign if it contains an element of solicitation to vote.
He reiterated that if any political party or candidate conducts a smear campaign, then Bawaslu will follow it up as an alleged election violation. For the record, suppression can be done because the candidates are already officially designated as candidates, in contrast to the previous ones.
He said that in the time span between the establishment of the DCT and the campaign period, parties and candidates were only allowed to hold internal meetings involving party members. Before holding a meeting, the party or candidate must deliver the notice to Bawaslu at least one day before the event.
On the other hand, Interior Minister (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian encouraged the Police to actively supervise the black campaign ahead of the 2024 Concurrent Elections and Elections. The police also need to resolutely deal with various campaigns that can provoke and divide the community.
“Among the things that should not happen is the black campaign, the campaign that is not true, does not correspond to the facts,” Tito said while speaking at Apel Kasatwil 2023 in Jakarta.
Tito stressed that campaigning is allowed as long as the message is loaded based on facts. He also hopes that political parties or election participants can use the means according to the rules and be ready to accept victory or defeat.
The former police chief also encouraged the police to be able to read or map the vulnerability of conflicts in the 2024 elections and elections. Police need to take steps that are not only responsive, but also proactive in addressing conflict vulnerability. The proactive step is one of them by conducting patrols in cyberspace. “In social media it is sometimes hot, so efforts to neutralize it on air, in the media, including social media are key,” he said.
Tito also outlined the Police's crucial role in supporting the logistics distribution of the 2023 elections, especially to remote and prone areas. This distribution support is important given the short campaign period so the time available is also short to send logistics to all areas of the Homeland.
The deputy general of the police believes that the cohesiveness of police members and their capabilities can control the security of the 2024 democratic party. “We sincerely hope that our friends of the police can secure the organization of a very big party, the democratic party of 2024,”he said.
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