Circulating Invitations To The Coordination Meeting Regarding The Postponement Of The 2024 Election, Mahfud MD: It Discusses The Work Stage Of Election Preparation

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD spoke about the circulation of invitations for a coordination meeting related to the issue of the postponement of the 2024 General Election and the issue of candidates for Regional Heads.

He emphasized that this meeting was not discussing the possibility of a delay in the 2024 General Election as has been circulating recently. Mahfud stated that this activity was actually carried out to prepare for the election.

"So that's the agenda to answer that the issue of postponing the election will not affect the stages of the government's work to prepare for the General Election and Pilkada in 2024," Mahfud said in a written statement, Friday, March 18.

Mahfud ensured that the government would still refer to the constitutional rules that the elections would be held in 2024.

"The government will work by staying guided by the constitutional agenda that in 2024 elections and local elections will be held simultaneously," he stressed.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) has also spoken about the issue of postponing the election which has recently been highlighted by many parties. He said that the developing issue would not be taken further because it was outside the government's agenda and duties.

"This is a political issue outside the government's agenda and the government can neither approve nor reject it," he said.

In the circular letter, a coordination meeting to discuss the issue of postponing the 2024 General Election will be held on Monday, March 21 at the Gran Senyiur Hotel, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

This activity will be led by the Assistant Deputy for Election Management and Strengthening of Political Parties.

For information, the issue of postponing the election was first raised by the Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia. This was conveyed by Bahlil after absorbing voices from businessmen.

Then, this discourse was re-rolled by PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar last week proposing the 2024 Election to be postponed by 1-2 years in order to maintain the momentum of national economic recovery.

Muhaimin's proposal was welcomed by the General Chairman of PAN, Zulkifli Hasan. He openly supports the discourse that the 2024 General Election is postponed due to economic reasons, the pandemic, and people's satisfaction with the government's performance which is believed to be high.

In addition, a similar proposal was also submitted by the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party, Airlangga Hartarto. He admitted that he received aspirations from farmers in Libo Jaya Village, Siak Regency who wanted the continuation of the government of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).