Merauke – The General Election Commission (KPU) of South Papua Province successfully held a debate on candidates for governor and deputy governor 2024. The first debate was held in Merauke Regency on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. This first series of debates carries the theme of advancing the region and harmonizing the implementation of regional and provincial development with the national.
While subthemes related to education, health, people’s economy, infrastructure, urban planning and transportation, agriculture and food security, plantations, forestry, and fisheries.
The debate presented four pairs of Cagub-Cawagub to convey their vision and mission and ideas. They are candidate number 1 Darius Gebze-Yusak Yaluwo. Candidate number 2 Nikolaus Kondomo-Baidin Kurita. Then, candidate number 3 Romanus Mbaraka-Albert Muyak. Then, candidate number 4 Apolo Safanpo-Paskalis Imadawa.
The questions asked by the moderator had previously been compiled by a team of panelists. They are Prof. Ridwan Yahya M.Sc, Dr.Drs. Beatus Tampaib M.A, Dr. James Modouw M.MT, Prof. Dr. Aminuddin Syam SKM, M.Kes, and DR. Rosita Dewi.
The Chairperson of the South Papua KPU, Theresia Mahuse, said that as a new autonomous region, South Papua Province had just held its first election for governor and deputy governor.
The candidate debate that was held was a series of processes and stages of the 2024 simultaneous Pilkada campaign in South Papua. In this inaugural debate, a number of questions were submitted by the panelists through the moderator, and answered by each candidate for governor.
Theresia Mahuse invited the public to listen and observe the vision and mission and programs presented by the candidates in the open debate.
“The KPU hopes that more voters will make their choices, and thus public participation will also increase in the 2024 elections in South Papua,” she concluded.
“We will also encourage regional economic independence, improve welfare, and reduce unemployment and poverty,” he said.