Minister Of Religion: Santri's Voice In The 2024 Presidential Election Determines The Rate Of The Nation

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (right) while attending a leisurely trip to commemorate Santri Day at the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, East Java, Saturday (21/10/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Biro Adpim East Java)

The Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas stated that the voices of the students in the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres) will determine the pace of the Indonesian nation for the next five years.

"Therefore, the presidential election, February 14, 2024, must be utilized by all students to voice their voting rights. Santri must be involved in every episode of the history of this country, including choosing, it must involve students," said Yaqut in Surabaya, East Java, reported by ANTARA, Saturday, October 21.,

Regarding political choice, Yaqut said it was a private domain. However, the students are advised to be smart in determining their choice at the Indonesian democratic party in 2024.

He also asked the students to first find out the background and experience of the candidate leaders they would choose from.

"I have to repeat, students should not choose a leader who is only based on physical appearance. People who are really ready to lead this country, because the challenges ahead are extraordinary," said Yaqut.

The KPU opened the registration for presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2024 General Election on 19-25 October 2023.

As regulated in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections (UU Pemilu), pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates are proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election who meet the requirements for obtaining seats of at least 20 percent of the total number of seats in the DPR or obtaining 25 percent of valid votes nationally in the previous election for members of the DPR.

Currently, there are 575 seats in parliament so that the pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election must have at least 115 seats in the DPR RI. It could also be that the candidate pairs are promoted by political parties or a combination of political parties participating in the 2019 Election with a total valid vote acquisition of at least 34,992,703 votes.