KPU Ensures Participation Of All Candidates In All Debates For The 2024 Presidential Election

Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Hasyim Asy'ari (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari ensured the presence of all pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates who took part in the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections at every debate session. Hasyim stated that the joint presence of presidential and vice presidential candidates in the debate was to show unity and cohesiveness among them to the public. "Publik is increasingly convinced of their appearance during the debate," said Hasyim after the 2024 Presidential-Cawapres Pair Debat Preparatory Meeting at the KPU office, Jakarta, quoted from ANTARA, Friday, December 1. In its implementation, the proportion of speech time will be adjusted, as in the presidential candidate debate which will have more proportion of speech compared to the vice presidential candidate debate. This is a change from the 2019 presidential election format, at that time not all candidate pairs were present directly at the debate location. The 2024 presidential election debate will be held three times for presidential and twice for vice presidential candidates, in accordance with KPU Regulation Number 15 of 2023 Article 50 Paragraph (1). Each presidential-cawapres debate session will consist of six segments, involving the opening, reading of rules, delivery of rules and work programs, as well as the closing segment. KPU has set specific themes for each debate session. The first debate on December 12 will discuss the law, human rights (HAM), government, eradication of corruption, and strengthening of democracy. The second debate on December 22 will focus on defense, security, geopolitical, and international relations. While the third debate theme on January 7, 2024 includes economics (activity and digital), social welfare, investment, trade, taxes (digital), finance, and management of the APBN.

The fourth debate on January 21, 2024 will discuss energy, natural resources (SDA), SMN, carbon taxes, environment, and agrarian society, as well as indigenous peoples. The last debate on February 4, 2024 will focus on information technology, improving public services, hoaxes, intolerance, education, health (post-Covid Society), and employment. These theories refer to the national vision in the Opening of the 1945 Constitution and the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN).