KPU Chief’ Debate Format Controversy Seizes Public Sentiment on Gibran

General Elections Commission (KPU) Chief Hasyim Asy’ari’s recent statement regarding the mandatory presence of all president and vice-president tickets in five national debates sparked public criticism. Despite the KPU’s confirmation that the vice-presidential candidates will have their own debate session, the public has already suspected that the whole move was designed to prevent Gibran from debating two other contenders, Mahfud MD and Muhaimin Iskandar.

An expert on elections, Titi Anggraeni, said the public could not be blamed, saying that they had formed their own perception of Gibran based on the events that emerged before reaching this point. She demanded KPU, instead, to be extra careful in issuing statements since, this time, the presidential election was a sensitive matter for all related parties, including the voters.