Waste Of Costs To Create Certain Political Risks, PDIP Supports KPU Regarding The 2024 Election Campaign Period Only 120 Days

PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto (DOK VOI/Wardhany Tsa Tsia)

JAKARTA - PDI-P Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto agrees that the long 2024 election campaign is just a waste of money, especially if it is done in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, his party feels there is no problem if the implementation of this activity is carried out in a short time.

"A long campaign period is just a waste of money, creating unnecessary political risks," Hasto told reporters at the PDIP DPP Office, Jalan Diponegoro, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Thursday, January 27.

Moreover, PDIP, as Hasto said, has been preparing for the 2024 general election, especially the presidential and deputy elections for a long time. Not only that, the party bearing the symbol of the bull does not consider the campaign period to determine the quality of the candidates who will advance in this five-year contest.

"After the election, we will prepare elections for the next five years. So that the campaign period does not determine the quality of the candidates," he said.

"So the campaign is to convey big ideas from political parties as well as presidential and vice presidential candidates," added Hasto.

The time that was designed by the General Elections Commission (KPU) in the draft KPU Regulation, which was 120 days or four months, was deemed sufficient by PDIP to consolidate. Because the party has been doing this activity for a long time.

"Consolidation is not just ahead of the general election. Yesterday, for example, we carried out reforestation as part of consolidation," said Hasto. "So it is a big mistake to say that the PDI-P is present (only, ed) during the campaign period. We are present in the daily life of the party and the people," he added.

As previously reported, the Commissioner of the Indonesian KPU, Pramono Ubaid, said that the 120-day 2024 election campaign period was already quite busy. This was in response to a request by members of Commission II of the DPR RI who requested that this schedule be shortened.

"Regarding the proposal to shorten the 2024 election campaign period, as proposed by several members of Commission II of the DPR RI in the last RDP, the KPU will certainly consider it carefully," Pramono told reporters, Thursday, January 27.

Pramono explained, based on existing regulations, the campaign period was not regulated how long it had to be. What is clear is that the campaign period begins three days after the nomination of candidates and ends three days before the voting day.

The only thing that needs to be considered is that the election campaign period is related to two stages, namely state administrative disputes (TUN), as well as the auction process, production, and distribution of election logistics.