KPU READY TO CHANGE PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS' DEBATE FORMAT

Jakarta, June 19 (ANTARA) - The General Elections Commission (KPU) was ready to change the format of presidential candidates debate if approved by the campaign teams of each presidential aspirant, including the moderator.

"To change the debate format, in accordance with the General Election Law, the KPU must have the approval of each of the campaign teams, including the moderator," KPU member Endang Sulastri said here on Friday.

The effort to change the debate format was due to
criticism voiced by the public that such debates held for the first time on Thursday (June 18) night seemed not as a real debate.

The reason to change the format was that the three presidential candidates namely Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Jusuf Kalla (JK) presented no difference of opinion and more likely have "one voice".

On this issue, Endang said, KPU will evaluate the results of the first debate which was conducted by the KPU.

In addition, KPU will also discuss themes for the second debate which will take place on June 23, 2009, she said.

In responding to the first debate participated in by presidential aspirants, Endang said that in principle the three candidates presented the same issues facing the country, they only differed in priorities in handling the problems.

Endang pointed out that it was reasonable the first debate still have shortcomings, but it was good enough, because the three
presidential hopefuls were not emotional and can still respect each other.

The debate was designed in some segments which took 90 minutes, and the first segment was the exposure of the vision and mission of each candidate for 7-10 minutes.

The next session of the segment was for questions and answers, where each candidate has two minutes to answer. In the third session the moderator asked one of the candidates and then the moderator asked for another candidate's views about the previous candidate's answer to the question presented by the moderator.
After that the previous candidate was given time to give closing answers.

The last session covered statements by each candidate for 1.5 minutes.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has set schedules for out-door campaigning from June 11 to July 4, 2009, and the presidential elections will be held on July 8, 2009.

Three presidential and vice presidential tickets who will compete in the upcoming polls are Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto,
incumbent president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who pairs with Boediono, an economist, and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri who pairs with retired general Prabowo Subianto.

KPU would need around Rp4 trillion to hold a second round of the upcoming presidential election, KPU Secretary General Suripto Bambang Setyadi said recently.