Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said President Joko Widodo had a clear attitude and commitment that the general election (election) would still be held in 2024.
Mahfud during a virtual press conference that was attended in Jakarta, Monday, explained that this attitude and commitment was evident from the President’s directives to ministers and heads of institutions who asked for the 2024 General Election to be carefully prepared.
“In the government itself, there has never been a discussion about postponing the election or increasing the term of office of the president/vice president, either for three terms or for extending 1 or 2 years,” said the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs during a press conference.
President Joko Widodo, when chairing the Cabinet Meetings on September 14, 2021 and September 27, 2021, in fact ordered his staff to ensure that the 2024 elections run safely, smoothly, and do not waste the budget, explained Mahfud.
“There has never been any discussion about the postponement of the 2024 election and the addition of the (presidential) term of office,” said Mahfud.
He conveyed that President Jokowi at the September 14, 2021 Meeting had instructed the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, and Head of the State Intelligence Agency General Pol (Ret.) Budi Gunawan to ensure that the campaign period was effective and not too long.
Mahfud added that the President asked that the time interval for voting and the inauguration of new officials from the 2024 General Election and Pilkada would not be too long in order to maintain the political temperature of the new cabinet that would be formed.
President Jokowi, said Mahfud, had directly summoned Election Commissions (KPU) officials to the Palace on November 11, 2021. In a meeting with the KPU chairman, the President stated that he agreed that the presidential election and legislative member elections would be held on February 14, 2024.
“On February 14, 2024, it was later approved by the House of Representatives (DPR), KPU, and the government at a working meeting on January 24, 2022,” explained Mahfud.
Thus, Mahfud asked all parties not to doubt President Jokowi’s commitment to holding the 2024 General Election.
“The president’s attitude is clear about the schedule for the 2024 general election,” said Mahfud. (ojn/bbs)
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