PKPU Draft Pilkada 2020: Entering Quiet Period, Candidates' Official Social Media Accounts Must Delete Campaign Content

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) will clarify the provisions regarding campaigns, especially online campaigns in the 2020 Pilkada.

KPU commissioner I Dewa Raka Sandi said that the addition of online campaign details was a follow-up to the input of members of the council in a joint consultation meeting with Commission II of the DPR RI some time ago.

"We are grateful for the input from Commission II. This will be a consideration for the KPU to carry out further examination, so that campaign arrangements are clearer and can be implemented more optimally during the campaign period," said Raka when contacted by VOI, Tuesday, August 25.

The rules regarding this campaign will be included in the revision of KPU Regulation (PKPU) Number 4 of 2017 which regulates election campaign matters.

In the revised draft submitted to the DPR yesterday, the KPU is planning an online campaign, which will start from September 26 to December 5. However, the KPU has not included these provisions. The KPU recently revised the rules regarding social media campaigns.

In the draft, Article 47 paragraph (1a) mandates that campaigns through social media be carried out during the campaign period and end up to 1 day before the start of the quiet period.

Subsequently, Article 50 was amended with the provision that political parties, candidate pairs and campaign teams are required to delete uploads and / or material content that contains official social media (social media) accounts no later than 1 day after the campaign period ends.

Meanwhile, regarding online campaigns, the KPU needs a number of inputs and considerations from Commission II of the DPR RI before including these rules. These considerations concern the terminology and technical rules of implementing online campaigns.

"This is the importance of consultation, carried out to get input. Then, we carry out a review, the results are expected to be better than the previous arrangement," said Raka.

Previously, DPR RI Commission II member Guspardi Gaus questioned the technical rules regarding the 2020 Pilkada online campaign. Guspardi said the KPU must make detailed provisions so as not to harm election participants related to potential campaign violations.

"We must have the same perception about the notion of social media, social media which is meant to not be allowed to carry out campaigns after the grace period is prohibited. Nor should this be an excuse for Bawaslu to make an issue, which in the end the candidate for regional head becomes a victim, "said Guspardi.

It is known that this online campaign rule was made as an alternative to face-to-face campaigns for regional head candidates in 270 provinces and districts / cities. Because, during the COVID-19 pandemic, all meetings must be limited to a capacity of 50 percent.