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KPU to tweak debate format following complaints
The General Elections Commission (KPU) is mulling changes to the format and venue of the second presidential candidate debate following criticism from many quarters
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The General Elections Commission (KPU) is mulling changes to the format and venue of the second presidential candidate debate following criticism from many quarters.
KPU commissioner Arief Budiman said on Wednesday that the commission had met with the campaign teams of Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra Party-led coalition and Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) led coalition, to discuss improvements for the second televised debate, slated for this Sunday.
'We have evaluated all aspects. The format of the first debate was designed to adhere to the Elections Law,' he told reporters at the KPU headquarters in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Arief said that the KPU also planned to change the amount of time each candidate was given to speak and respond.
'When we have two pairs of candidates, the duration is six minutes. The next debate is only for the presidential candidates, so we'll see if we will keep the six-minute duration,' he said.
The KPU has also evaluated the performance of the moderator of the first debate, Gadjah Mada University's (UGM) Corruption Studies Center (PUKAT) director Zainal Arifin Mochtar.
Social media was abuzz with criticism of Zainal, who appeared nervous and tense and was remembered only for his repeated calls for the audience to hold their applause.
Prabowo's camp lambasted Zainal for questions that were too long and redundant.
In Wednesday's meeting, the KPU also decided that Ahmad Erani Yustika, the executive director of the Institute for the Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) as well as a lecturer at Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, will be the moderator.
'He has knowledge of and proven skill in economics. His performance is also good. He is a more than capable moderator,' Arief said.
The KPU also discussed some of the next debate's technical details, particularly the venue, which is still unconfirmed.
The venue of the first debate, Balai Sarbini in Semanggi, was knocking for its limited seats, resulting in many, including journalists, not being able to enter the venue.
'Both campaign teams have asked for a larger-capacity venue,' Arief said. 'Then [we need to decide on] those with access to the venue. In the first debate, some people who had been invited failed to gain entry.'
Following the first debate, which touched on the development of democracy, clean government and legal certainty, the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla ticket was touted the clear winner, after sweeping all five segments of the live TV debate against the Prabowo-Hatta Rajasa pair.
Jokowi responded to widespread skepticism of his oratory skills and vision with short but firm answers that emphasized his achievements and proposed down-to-earth policies. Kalla not only cited his own proven record as a vice president but also openly touched on one of Prabowo's most controversial weakness ' the human rights question.
Most of Prabowo or Hatta's remarks and answers were blasted as normative and too general. Prabowo repeatedly emphasized nationalistic economic policies, especially on natural resource management, while Hatta failed to come up with any concrete accomplishments during his 10-year Cabinet career under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Following the first debate, rumors have been circulating that KPU commissioner Hadar Nafis Gumay leaked debate material to Jokowi's team, which could explain the former Surakarta mayor's performance.
Hadar allegedly leaked the questions during a meeting with Jokowi's campaign team member Trimedya Panjaitan and National Police education division chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan at the Satay House restaurant in Menteng on late Sunday, one day before the first debate.
Arief was quick to deny the allegation, saying that Hadar and other KPU commissioners had already planned to have dinner.
He said that Hadar followed his car and later met with Arief at the restaurant.
'I drove past [the restaurant], while Pak Hadar stopped at Satay House Senayan,' Arief said. 'But he did not say anything. He went straight home [after stopping at the restaurant for a while]. He did not even eat there,' he said.
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