Calls for peaceful elections raised amid rising violence – Politics

A spate of recent allegedly politically motivated acts of violence surrounding candidates and their supporters has raised concerns about the potential for conflict to affect simultaneous regional elections ahead of Wednesday’s polling day.

With little time left before the cooling-off period begins on Sunday, observers are calling on candidates and election organizers to push for peaceful elections to prevent politically fueled clashes that could trigger further democratic retreats.

Recent acts of violence have been seen in several election debates conducted by regional offices of the General Election Commission (KPU), with more than a dozen of the events resulting in fistfights or altercations resulting in injuries.

On Tuesday, the final election debate for Aceh gubernatorial candidates was interrupted after supporters of candidate Muzakir Manaf, who was nominated by the local Aceh party, stormed the stage while his rival Bustami Hamzah addressed the audience.

The altercation took place two months after two unidentified people threw a grenade at Bustami’s private residence in the Syiah Kuala district of the provincial capital Banda Aceh. The attack damaged part of the house.

Supporters of gubernatorial candidate pairs Bustami Hamzah-M. Fadhil Rahmi and Muzair Mana-Fadhullah fight on stage on November 19, 2024 during the third election debate for the Aceh governorship election in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh. The debate was interrupted due to the fight. (Antara/Irwansyah Putra)

On Wednesday, another debate for the Bandung regency election in West Java was halted for an hour after supporters of the two pairs of candidates argued during a commercial break. The two groups reportedly taunted each other before the fight.