KPU Sets 11 Panelists for Presidential Candidate Debate on January 7, 2024: Here's the List

The General Election Commission (KPU) has appointed 11 panelists for the presidential candidate debate to be held at Istora Senayan on Sunday, January 7, 2023, at 7:00 PM.

KPU Commissioner August Mellaz stated that the majority of the panelists are academics from various Indonesian universities. Only one panelist is from the practitioner field.

The following are the 11 panelists for the third 2024 Presidential Election debate:

1. Angel Damayanti (Professor of International Security, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Kristen Indonesia University)
2. Curie Maharani Savitri (Lecturer in International Relations, expert in defense industry studies and technology transfer, Binus University)
3. Evi Fitriani (Professor of International Relations, University of Indonesia)
4. Hikmahanto Juwana (Professor of International Law, University of Indonesia, and Rector of Jenderal Ahmad Yani University)
5. I Made Andi Arsana (Expert in Geospatial Aspects of Maritime Law, Gadjah Mada University)
6. Ian Montratama (Lecturer in International Relations, Expert in Security and Defense, Pertamina University)
7. Irine Hiraswari Gayatri (Researcher, Political Research Center, National Research and Innovation Agency)
8. Kusnanto Anggoro (Security Expert, Defense University)
9. Retired Admiral Marsetio (Chief of Naval Staff 2012-2014 and Chairman of the Board of Professors, Defense University)
10. Philips J. Vermonte (Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, International Islamic University of Indonesia, and Senior Fellow CSIS)
11. Widya Setiabudi Sumadinata (Professor of Global Security, Padjadjaran University)

According to Mellaz, there will be no changes to the flow or format compared to the previous two presidential debates.

"In principle, the flow and format of the debate will not change. The only change will be the venue; the location will be different," he said, as reported by Katadata on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.

The third 2024 Presidential Election debate will be a forum for the three presidential candidates to once again exchange ideas on the themes of defense, security, international relations, and geopolitics.

Mellaz added that the moderators will be MNC Group journalists Anisha Dasuki and Ariyo Ardi.

Previously, the KPU held two Presidential Election debates.

In the first debate, the three presidential candidates exchanged ideas on the themes of governance, law, human rights, corruption eradication, strengthening democracy, improving public services, and citizen harmony, held on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

Then, in the second debate, the three vice-presidential candidates presented their thoughts on the themes of economics (people's economy and digital economy), finance, investment tax, trade, management of the State Budget (APBN) and Regional Budget (APBD), infrastructure, and urban areas, held on Friday, December 22, 2023.