Whatever The Reason, Grace And Isyana Cannot Approach The Moderator During The Presidential Candidate Debate

Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari responded to the actions of two elite Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) politicians Grace Natalie and Isyana Bagoes Oka who approached the debate moderators of the three presidential candidates in 2024 on Sunday, January 7 yesterday.

Grace has indeed clarified that she and isyana approached the moderator table during the advertisement break to protest the behavior of the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair serial number 3 Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD, which is positioned right behind the moderator.

Supporter of presidential and vice presidential candidates number 2 Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka considers this action to interfere with the concentration of presidential candidates who are undergoing debate at the position in front of the moderator.

However, according to Hasyim, Grace's actions cannot be justified. This is because every candidate has appointed a liquid officer (LO) as a liaison officer to coordinate at all stages of the election.

"Actually, the agreement after the first debate was agreed. Say, to remind each other that supporters who are present in the debate room, it was agreed that each of them would prepare an LO to remind or control supporters who were present in the studio.

"So, what is right is actually in the context of reminding that through LO," said Hasyim after the presidential candidate debate at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Sunday, January 7.

Hasyim reminded that whatever the reason, the actions of Grace and Isyana that approached the moderator could cause prejudice for other parties.

"It should be inappropriate, yes. This means that even though they may know each other, it can lead to inappropriate perceptions," said Hasyim.

Supposedly, continued Hasyim, Grace asked the LO team candidate pair Prabowo-Gibran to remind LO candidate pair Ganjar-Mahfud for the behavior of its supporters, without the need to visit the moderator.

Therefore, Hasyim admitted that the KPU would reprimand Grace and Isyana's attitude during the third debate evaluation meeting and preparations for the fourth debate with each candidate team.

"Later, we will have materials with the candidate pairing team during the evaluation, several things. Because it has been agreed like that, so that those who control it are fellow LO from the candidate pair," said the hasyim.

Previously, a viral video on social media showed Grace Natalie and Isyana Bagoes Oka approaching the moderator during the third debate commercial break. In the video, Grace and Isyana's voice while talking to the moderator was not heard because it was recorded from a distance.

Grace immediately clarified. This member of the Prabowo-Gibran National Campaign Team (TKN) admitted that he approached the moderator because he wanted to ask if supporters behind the moderator were allowed to raise their hands high as if they wanted to break the concentration of the presidential candidate who was talking.

"We asked the moderator in the middle of the break. All candidate pairs were out of the arena. Isyana recorded all the gestures as evidence and showed them to the moderator," Grace told reporters.

"Because the candidate pair must have caught the eye. It was in the perspective of the candidate pair, right behind the moderator. The answer time was only 2 minutes, you had to focus and think," he continued.