South Jakarta Bawaslu Investigate KPAI's Findings About Children Being A Jurkam

South Jakarta General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Commissioner Ahmad Fahlevi/ Photo: Jehan/VOI

Commissioner of the South Jakarta General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), Ahmad Fahlevi, spoke up regarding the findings of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) regarding the involvement of minors as campaigners (jurkam) for the 2024 General Election (Pemilu).

According to Ahmad, his party will trace the news to find out the role of the children.

"We will investigate first if there is involvement of minors, what he is involved in these activities," Ahmad said in a short message, Tuesday, January 23.

Ahmad detailed that campaign activities actually already have provisions, where there is a prohibition stating that children aged 17 years and under should not participate in campaigns. According to him, this has been stated in the Campaign Regulation of Article 280 paragraph (2) letter K.

In addition, continued Ahmad, it was also stated in the General Election Commission Regulation (PKPU) Number 20 of 2023 Article 72 paragraph (1) letter j (1a) which reads that the prohibition on the Implementation of Election Campaigns, participants, and Election Campaign Teams is prohibited from involving children.

"This means that minors do not have the right to vote, so they are categorized as a ban on implementers and campaign teams to participate in campaign activities," he said.

Ahmad assessed that if it was really done and involved in election activities, it could disrupt the psychological development of children.

"Other impacts will disrupt the psychological development of children if they are involved in political activities," he said.

Therefore, continued Ahmad, to anticipate this, his party has appealed to parties and election participants.

"So we will immediately urge the child to leave campaign activities," he concluded.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) found that there were minors who became campaigners (jurkam) for candidate pairs (paslon) to certain legislative candidates in Jakarta. The jurkam of the child found was still 5 - 15 years old.

"We have coordinated with Bareskrim Polri to find the video maker. We will immediately coordinate with Bawaslu," said KPAI member of the Civil Rights and Freedom Cluster Maria mikhala when contacted, Tuesday, January 23.

"Indeed, there are children who are exploited by being used as 'a campaign leader' or a certain candidate. Who are the adults around the child who are the perpetrators, it is not clear. Because the case occurred in the digital space, through videos circulating on various platforms," he said.