Urge To Be Brave And Firmly Reject The Idea Of Postponing The 2024 Election, PKS: Pak Jokowi's Silence Has Multiple Interpretations

President Joko Widodo (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Muchlis Jr)

JAKARTA - The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has asked President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to open his voice on the issue of postponing the 2024 General Election. Jokowi is asked to firmly reject the ideas put forward by a number of general chairmen of political parties.

"Pak Jokowi must again state his rejection of the idea of postponing the 2024 General Election. Pak Jokowi's silence can have multiple interpretations because it can be seen as supporting the postponement of the election, especially since the idea came from a party that supports the government," PKS politician Mardani Ali Sera told reporters, Thursday, March 3.

Mardani considered it unreasonable for the government to postpone the 2024 General Election due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because this reason is contrary to the government's attitude which forced the holding of the 2020 Regional Head Election (Pilkada).

Moreover, the government has recently issued claims that the COVID-19 pandemic in the country is getting better and under control. In fact, there is already a plan to change the status of a pandemic disaster to endemic.

"The reason for the COVID-19 pandemic to postpone the election does not make sense. This is contrary to the government's attitude to forcing the 2020 simultaneous regional elections at a time when the transmission of the pandemic is on the rise," he stressed.

Furthermore, the member of Commission III of the DPR RI reminded that the spirit of reform must be maintained. Do not let a state leader act otherwise and disobey the applicable constitution.

"A good leader should obey the principles and build a good system," said Mardani.

As previously reported, 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-introduced by the General Chair of the PKB Muhaimin Iskandar last week proposing the 2024 Election to be postponed for 1-2 years in order to maintain the momentum of the 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).