Coordination Meeting On Election Delays Canceled By Mahfud MD Due To Illegal Issues

Mahfud MD/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polhukam) had scheduled a coordination meeting (rakor) agenda to discuss the issue of postponing the 2024 General Election with the General Elections Commission (KPU) today in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

This letter is addressed to the Chairperson of the KPU and the Chair of the Balikpapan City Bawaslu, as well as the Head of Kesbangpol Kota Balikpapan to serve as resource persons.

This coordination meeting (Rakor) will be chaired by the Assistant Deputy for Election Management and Strengthening of Political Parties, Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs.

However, the day before the event was held, it turned out that this coordination meeting was canceled by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD. Mahfud explained that he decided to cancel this event because a wild issue had emerged in the public.

The government, said Mahfud, was accused of wanting to postpone the election through the coordination meeting.

"Yesterday there was news in Balikpapan, he said the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs invited Bawaslu, invited the KPU to discuss the issue of postponing the election. Yes, we canceled it because it would create wild issues as if the government had an agenda," Mahfud said on Sunday, March 20.

In fact, Mahfud said that this coordination meeting was made to emphasize that the government is still consistent in carrying out the plan to hold the 2024 Simultaneous Election.

"The purpose of Deputy I of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs is to ensure that the 2024 Election must be well prepared without being influenced by the issue of the discourse of postponing the election," he stressed.

Associated with the discussions that appear in political parties, the DPR, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community organizations (ormas), according to Mahfud, is a common thing. However, the government is sticking to the current statutory provisions that mandate elections to be held in 2024.

"That political parties, DPR, NGOs, mass organizations, want to discuss it, just discuss it. Please discuss, what the result is a political matter. However, for the Government, now it has prepared. In 2024 there will be an election for the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, the legislature, and simultaneous local elections. We have prepared that," explained Mahfud.