PAPUA – The debate between the candidate pairs for Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Papua and South Papua was successfully held as the final series of the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Election (Pilkada) campaign. This event is expected to encourage public participation in the general election on November 27.
The Chairperson of the Central Papua General Election Commission (KPU), Jennifer Darling Tabuni, expressed her hope that Central Papua residents would make good use of their voting rights for a better future for the region.
“We hope that the people of Central Papua will see the vision, mission, and programs presented by the candidates in this debate, so that they can make the right decision on November 27,” said Jennifer.
Jennifer added that to increase public awareness and enthusiasm, the Central Papua KPU has been actively conducting outreach both directly and through social media.
“We want to increase public participation, including those who watch this debate live or via broadcast,” added Jennifer.
Jennifer also emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the regional elections by avoiding any form of politicization of ballots and forms so that the voting results remain valid and accurate.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the South Papua Province KPU, Theresia Mahuze, said that this public debate aims to provide space for candidates to put forward their ideas, concepts and commitments in order to convince voters.
“This is the first debate for the gubernatorial candidates of South Papua Province. The moderator has asked various questions to see each candidate’s response to crucial issues,” Theresia said in her speech.
Theresia also invited the people of South Papua to follow the debate process, pay attention to the vision and mission of the candidates, and choose leaders based on their conscience and come to the polling stations to exercise their voting rights.
“We invite the public to listen to the programs of the candidates, and make smart choices according to their conscience. With prayer and hope, hopefully the Pilkada in South Papua will bring quality leaders and have a positive impact on the entire region,” he concluded.
Previously, the Pilkada in Central Papua and South Papua were expected to not only be an event to elect leaders, but also a momentum for the community to be actively involved in determining the future of their region. With transparent implementation and increased voter participation, the 2024 Pilkada in Papua can be a positive example for the democratic process in Indonesia.
