Anies-Ganjar-Prabowo Challenged By Arguments At Campus, KPU: List Of Presidential Candidates In 2024, Only Debate

Chairman of the KPU Hasyim Asy'ari when giving a statement at the Indonesian KPU Office, Jakarta, Monday (10/7/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari responded to the challenge of debate to the three presidential candidates Anies Baswedan, Ganjar Pranowo, and Prabowo Subianto on campus offered by students.

Hasyim views that this debate offer is not a presidential candidate debate in the 2024 Presidential Election. The three figures have indeed been announced by the supporting party to run in the 2024 presidential election, but they have not been registered as candidates to the KPU.

It should be noted, someone is named as a candidate if the person is registered by a political party with the KPU, and someone is named as a candidate when he is declared eligible (MS) and is determined as a permanent candidate as a pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates.

"In my view, Mas Anies, Mas Ganjar, and Pak Prabowo are not yet in the context of the 2024 presidential election. Why is that? Because registration for the candidate pair for the 2024 presidential election has not yet occurred, and registration will be made for the candidate pair for the 2024 presidential election in October 2023," said Hasyim to reporters, Friday, August 25.

Hasyim emphasized that currently it is still in August 2023 and has not entered the registration stage for the candidate pair for the 2024 presidential election.

However, Hasyim invited Anies, Ganjar, and Prabowo to hold debates anywhere. However, this activity is not referred to as a campaign because there has been no determination of a presidential candidate.

"Because of that, Mas Anies, Mas Ganjar and Pak Prabowo are still free of friendship, discussion and debate with anyone, and are anywhere, including on campus. These activities are not campaigns, because those who do are not candidates, and are not categorized as election violations," explained Hasyim.

For information, the Constitutional Court's decision allows campaign election participants in government facilities and education but is prohibited from places of worship as stipulated in the General Election Commission Regulation (PKPU) Number 15 of 2023 concerning Election Campaigns.

The decision is a lawsuit against Law Number 7 of 2017 which was granted by the Constitutional Court on August 15, 2023.

BEM UI then responded to the Constitutional Court's decision by challenging the presidential candidate Anies Baswedan from KPP, Ganjar Pranowo, who was supported by PDIP (PDIP) and PPP, as well as Prabowo Subianto who was promoted by the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KIR) campaign on the UI campus.

"If you really have the guts, BEM UI invites all presidential candidates/presidential candidates to attend UI because we are ready to skin everything in your minds," said BEM UI Chair Melki Sedek Huang in a written statement, Monday, August 21.

The three responded to the challenge. Anies stated that he was willing and immediately asked about the timing of the implementation. Prabowo, through his spokesman, only stated that he was ready to have a dialogue with anyone. Meanwhile, Ganjar views that the debate is not yet time to be held at this time.