First Debate Evaluation, KPU Gathers Candidate Team Today

Three presidential candidates in the first debate at the KPU Building, Tuesday 12 December (doc. Gerindra)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari said he would gather a winning team or campaign for the presidential-vice presidential candidate pair to evaluate the course of the first debate on Tuesday night.

"Tomorrow (today) the KPU plans to invite a team of candidate pairs to evaluate the first debate, where will it be tomorrow," he said on the sidelines of monitoring logistics for the 2024 Election in Denpasar, Bali, Wednesday 13 December evening.

He admitted that he knew and heard a number of comments and questions that developed in the community after the first presidential-vice presidential debate

However, he admitted that he could not say anything before being evaluated together.

Several issues were touched on regarding the vice presidential candidate who was considered to be fueling the supporters who were present, the concept and format of the debate, the time limit, and the consequences for supporters who were present directly but sparked a commotion.

Apart from that, he straightened out the presidential debate which featured the three candidates standing without tables or objects around them.

According to him, there was no special reason for this because the point in this activity was a debate between the contestants' ideas.

“What is important is the debate or whether there is a table? The important thing is there is a debate, I think that's all there is, there's no table, that's it, in fact the three of them are happy, strong enough to stand for a long time, that's to convince our people that our president is all strong, healthy and can all stand up," he said.

Apart from the debate, he said, what is certain is that the Indonesian KPU will protect the votes at the polling stations (TPS) and the entire process will be open so that we hope that together we can guarantee the smooth running of the 2024 elections.

He is optimistic that the next election will attract voter participation of 81.8 percent like the turnout in 2019.

The KPU will focus on voting rights holders who want to come to their respective polling stations.

"I will take care of those who are present to vote. If those who are not present there are many factors, for example whether they are not compatible with the candidates, while the candidates who provide are not the KPU but other parties, they are not compatible with their vision and mission. So right now candidates from the campaign team are trying to convince voters to choose him," said Hasyim.