KPU Denies Political Considerations Behind The Proposal To Accelerate Registration Of Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

JAKARTA - Member of the General Election Commission (KPU) Idham Holik denied that the proposal to advance the presidential candidate registration schedule and vice presidential candidate (cawapres) in the 2024 presidential election was based on political considerations.

"So if you ask whether this is a political consideration, it is not at all and can be proven," said Idham, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 19.

Idham explained that the proposal contained in the draft General Election Commission (PKPU) Regulation on the Candidacy for the General Election of the President and Vice President did not accelerate the registration schedule for presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

On the other hand, he continued, the KPU only carried out the consequences of the Government Regulation in Lieu of the Law (Perpu) on Elections issued in December 2022.

"Actually, it was not accelerated and was not pushed forward either. The KPU only aligns with the provisions of Article 176 Paragraph 1 of Law Number 7 of 2023, as a consequence of the existence of Perpu Number 1 of 2022 and coincidentally the article was changed, the deadline for when the KPU must determine the presidential candidate pair," he said.

Regarding the proposal to advance the presidential-cawapres registration schedule to 10-16 October 2023, Idham said that the KPU tried to use the maximum approach pattern in designing the proposed registration schedule for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

We found the 10th to the 16th of October 2023 as the registration period for prospective presidential and vice presidential election participants. This is just a proposal, this is just a design, not a 'fix', why do we propose that date? We use the maximum pattern," he said.

He said this was a consequence of the change in the duration of the 2024 election campaign period which was shortened to 75 days. "So this is due to the first change, the increase in the campaign period from six months to three weeks to two months and a half, that's a consequence of 75 days," he said.

The KPU has prepared a draft KPU Regulation (PKPU) related to the registration of presidential and vice presidential candidates to be used as material at a consultation meeting with the DPR and the government which is planned to be held on Wednesday (20/9).

"The KPU has prepared a draft KPU Regulation regarding the nomination of the president and vice president. The plan is that on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, the draft will be used as material for a consultation meeting between the KPU and the DPR RI and the government," said KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari.

He said that if the registration of presidential and vice-presidential candidates to October 10, 2023, the duration of document verification to the determination of candidate pairs (paslon) on November 13, 2023 would be looser.