Regarding Jokowi's Frequent Regional Visits With Prabowo, Bawaslu Admits It's Difficult To Prove Campaign Elements

President Jokowi with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto/DOK Instagram @prabowo

Chairman of the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) Rahmat Bagja admitted that it was difficult for his party to find campaign elements from President Jokowi's visit to the regions with Prabowo Subianto during the 2024 election campaign period.

Because, at that time Prabowo had the capacity as Minister of Defense to accompany Jokowi on a working visit. Moreover, Bagja admitted that Bawaslu also did not find Jokowi's actions that met the campaign elements.

"Regarding the meeting between the President and the Minister of Defense, it is also difficult. If the person concerned carries out a campaign, we can only follow up," Bagja said at the Constitutional Court hearing, Wednesday, April 3.

Bagja pun menegaskan jajarannya di daerah, baik Bawaslu provinsi maupun kabupaten/kota, hampir selalu melakukan pengawasan pada setiap kegiatan pejabat negara yang berstatus sebagai peserta pemilu atau anggota partai politik

"We also can't (state) 'it feels like carrying out a campaign'. That feeling cannot be tried, and we can't do that later," said Bagja.

"If for example Pak Jokowi does, is he a participant or not? Is he offering or inviting that choice or not? That can only be dealt with," he continued.

In addition, Bagja also admitted that his party often disagrees with the police and the prosecutor's office in handling alleged election criminal violations.

Specifically for handling alleged violations and election crimes, Bawaslu formed an Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Sentra Gakkumdu) with the police and the prosecutor's office.

"Sometimes there are differences of opinion between Bawaslu and friends of the police and prosecutors. For example, in several articles, for example, increasing the material is proven, then criminal action can be taken," he said.

In a sense, when processing election violations that lead to criminal acts, the police and the prosecutor's office will take criminal action when it is clear that there was an incident that benefited one of the election participants.

"That then becomes a difference in the electoral supervisory body. But in some ways, criminal cases have also been successfully carried out by the Election Supervisory Agency. So it is not true that Bawaslu is picky," said Bagja.