Responding To Jokowi's Comments On Debate, KPU: The Strategy And Answer Of The Presidential Candidate Is Not The KPU

Three presidential candidates in the inaugural debate for the 2024 presidential election at the KPU building, Jakarta, Tuesday 12 December. (doc Gerindra)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari explained that every 2024 election presidential and vice presidential debate has gone through various considerations and agreements with the success team of each pair of candidates and television organizers.

Hasyim conveyed the explanation in response to President Joko Widodo's statement that assessing the Third Debate of the 2024 Presidential Election on Sunday, January 7, was not a form of educating the voter public. According to Jokowu, the debate has more attacking the personal side of certain presidential candidates than carrying out vision, mission, or work programs.

"Debat sudah melewati berbagai pertimbangan dan pembicaraan kesepakatan dengan semua tim. Jadi, tentang strategi, tentang substuk jawab, bukan ranah KPU untuk membuat perilaian," kata Hasyim di Jakarta, Selasa 9 Januari, disitat Antara.

He added that the KPU as an election organizer only provides forums for each pair of candidates to argue. So, regarding the strategy and material substance of the debate, it is entirely the right and authority of the candidate pair with their respective success teams.

In addition, Hasyim reminded that the presidential and vice presidential candidates debate was a series of the 2024 election campaign stages facilitated by the KPU.

Therefore, the KPU does not have the capacity to assess or comment on the ongoing debate, because assessing the quality of the campaign is the right of the public as voters.

"What you hope to remember is that this debate is a campaign, one of the campaign methods is debate. So, then those who have the right, the authority to assess the quality of the debate, and the substance of the debate are the people, voters," he said.

Debate is one of the campaign methods of candidate pairs to convince the public regarding their respective vision, mission, and work programs, whether they are qualified and in accordance with the themes that have been set.

Previously, President Jokowi assessed that the substance of the candidate pair's vision for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the Third Debate of the 2024 presidential election was not visible.

Jokowi assessed that what was seen was that it was the attitude of attacking each other personally against certain presidential candidates, which should not have happened.

"What seems to be attacking each other is what is actually okay, as long as (attacking) policies, the origin of policies, the origin of vision, that's okay," said Jokowi, Monday, January 8.

Jokowi emphasized that if the debate has attacked certain personal or personal candidates, who have nothing to do with the theme of debate, including international relations, geopoliticals, and defense during the debate; then the debate actually lacks political education to the public.