Semarang City KPU Ban Supporters Bring Sound Tengg During Debate

Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) of Semarang City Ahmad Zaini. (ANTARA/Zuhdiar Laiis)

The General Election Commission of Semarang City, Central Java, confirmed that the ban on supporting candidate pairs of mayors and deputy mayors brought a "sound horeg" (large loudspeaker system) during the second debate of the 2024 Pilkada.

The chairman of the Semarang City KPU, Ahmad Zaini, explained that the ban on bringing the "sound horeg" was an evaluation of the implementation of the first debate on November 1, 2024.

Reflecting on the holding of the inaugural debate last Friday (1/11), one of the supporters of the candidate pair is known to have brought the "sound hug" as a form of support.

The KPU reminded the candidate pairs for mayor and deputy mayor of Semarang, namely Agustina Wilujeng-Iswar Aminuddin and Yoyok Sukawi-Joko Santoso to disburse their supporters.

"According to the SOP (standard operating procedure) that we have given to the candidate pairs, it is not allowed to bring crowds outside the invitation of 100 people, including carrying dangerous goods, such as sharp weapons, including the sound system," he said.

According to him, the regulation has been contained in a letter submitted to each pair of candidates so that candidate pairs and winning teams must obey it.

"That (sound horeg, ed) is outside of the KPU's predictions and authorities because we cannot supervise or control them. So, to anticipate that, we are coordinating with the police. Outside the area it should be sterile," he said.

Although there is no sanction arrangement, Zaini asked the candidate pairs to obey it in order to create a conducive and smooth situation during the debate.

"There are no sanctions, only anticipation or handling. What has been done is blocked in front of it, if there are no KPU sanctions, there are no rules for supporters," he said.

The Semarang City KPU plans to hold three debates, namely the 1st, 8th, and 15th of November 2024, with five different panelists in each debate.

The first debate on regional head elections (pilkada) has taken place on November 1, 2024, with the theme "Economics, Infrastructure and Resilience of Semarang City".

The 2024 Semarang City Pilkada was attended by two pairs of candidates for mayor and deputy mayor, namely Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti-Iswar Aminuddin who was promoted by the PDI Perjuangan with serial number 1.

Then the pair number 2 Yoyok Sukawi-Joko Santoso who was promoted by nine political parties, namely the Democratic Party, Gerindra Party, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), National Awakening Party (PKB), National Mandate Party (PAN), Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP), Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), and NasDem Party.