Muhaimin And Zulhas Suggest Postponing The 2024 Election, Secretary General Of Gerindra Ahmad Muzani: We Have Not Followed The Discourse

Secretary General of the Central Executive Board of the Gerindra Party, Ahmad Muzani. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Secretary-General of the Central Executive Board of the Gerindra Party, Ahmad Muzani, was not ready to comment on the proposals of several figures regarding the postponement of the 2024 General Election.

"I can't comment because I haven't followed the discourse yet," he said after meeting East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa at the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 26.

He admitted that he had received reports and stories from several of his colleagues, but he had not been able to follow them in detail so it took time to study them.

"I am also still in East Java and visiting several areas, including Madura, so I have not been able to provide a response regarding the problems in Jakarta," he said.

However, the Deputy Chairman of the MPR RI emphasized that his party is currently focusing on holding the 2024 General Election, including what he is doing now, namely conducting political safaris to several regions in East Java.

Previously, the General Chair of the PKB DPP, Muhaimin Iskandar, suggested that the 2024 election be postponed for 1 year or 2 years so that the momentum for economic improvement would not be lost and there would be a freeze.

According to Muhaimin, who is also the Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, the COVID-19 pandemic that has occurred for two years has resulted in stagnation, even a decline in the national economy.

In addition to the proposal of the politician from East Java who is familiarly called Cak Imin, the General Chair of the PAN DPP Zulkifli Hasan also voiced a similar discourse.

Zulhas, as he is familiarly called, confirmed that his party agreed with the proposed postponement of the 2024 General Election by considering five points.

Namely, first, the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended, economic conditions have not been stable, the development of the global situation such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the implementation of elections requires very large costs, and the sustainability of development programs that have been delayed due to the pandemic.

However, several other figures stated that they did not agree with the plan to postpone the 2024 General Election, one of which was Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Syarief Hasan, who assessed that the proposed postponement of the 2024 General Election had disrupted the democratic climate and damaged the constitution.

The extension of the President's term of office through the postponement of the 2024 General Election, he said, was also considered to have the potential to lead to absolute and destructive power.