General Elections - IKA-USU Jakarta chapter maintains neutrality

Illustration: 2024 would be a politically significant year for Indonesia as the presidential, parliamentary, and regional leadership elections take place in the same year.

Bogor, W Java (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Chapter of the University of Sumatera Utara (USU) Alumni Association (IKA-USU) declared here, Saturday, that it maintains neutrality during the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

The pledge was echoed by chairperson of the IKA-USU Jakarta Chapter, Tujuh Martogi Siahaan, in a press statement that he delivered after taking the oath of office for the alumni association's 2023-2027 leadership term.

Apart from the organization's neutrality, Siahaan said he prayed for the best of luck for the USU alumni who become the contestants of either parliamentary or regional elections in winning the hearts and minds of voters.

"Good luck to you all who are competing to win the hearts and minds of voters in the upcoming parliamentary and regional elections," Siahaan stated while urging all USU graduates to go to voting booths to cast their votes.

He further appealed to the USU alumni, especially those residing in Jakarta and its satellite cities, to remain wise in making, receiving, and sharing contents on social media platforms.

"We hope the upcoming fiesta of democracy will run peacefully and make the people at large happy," he stated.

Siahaan expressed optimism that the elections would also become a big asset that enables the nation to address obstacles that hamper its efforts to achieve the goals of Indonesia's 2045 Vision.

The USU was founded on June 4, 1952. As of September 2023, this public university had produced 250,134 graduates living in various parts of Indonesia and abroad.

ANTARA reported earlier that the General Elections Commission (KPU) had declared that a total of 204,807,222 voters are on the final voter list for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

The KPU announced that the parliamentary and presidential elections will be held simultaneously on February 14, while the regional elections will take place simultaneously on November 27.

For the 2024 elections, the commission has officially set a 75-day election campaign period for the three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates — from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024.

All participating political parties and presidential contenders have pledged to conduct peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections.

As part of its efforts to make voters aware of the three candidate pairs' political pledges, the commission has decided to organize five rounds of debates ahead of the presidential election.

The first and second rounds were held on December 12 and December 22, 2023. The third round took place on January 7, 2024, while the fourth and fifth rounds will be held on January 21 and February 4, respectively.

The three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting the presidential election are Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD.

Anies and Muhaimin have been nominated with the support of the NasDem Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and Ummat Party.

Meanwhile, Prabowo and Gibran have the backing of the Gerindra Party and a coalition of parties, including Golkar, National Mandate Party (PAN), Democratic Party, and Gelora Party.

Ganjar and Mahfud have the support of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), United Development Party, Perindo Party, and Hanura Party.