TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential Chief of Staff Heru Budi Hartono confirmed that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo would not attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 general elections or Pemilu stage held by the General Elections Commission (KPU) today, June 14.

“The President will not be present,” said Heru to Tempo on Tuesday.

During a hearing on January 24 in the Parliament Building, the government, the House of Representatives (DPR), and the KPU had agreed on the voting date for the simultaneous elections to be on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

According to General Elections Commission Regulation (PKPU) No. 3 of 2022 on stages, schedules, and programs for the 2024 Election, the stages would kick-start on June 14, 2022, with program planning and budgeting as well as drafting regulations for the implementation of the election.

Although it has been determined, the election stage still met with protests from a number of elements, including the Labor Party. The Labor Party, for example, argued that the 75-day campaign period would be detrimental to non-parliamentary parties.

Labor Party President Said Iqbal assessed that they would face difficulties to be known by the public given the short campaign period.

The Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) also protested about the settlement period for the election result dispute (PHPU), which is only six days.

It was not explained why President Jokowi would not attend the opening ceremony for the 2024 general elections. Recently, the former Jakarta governor reportedly planned to reshuffle the cabinet in the near future.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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