It was about 5 a.m. on Sunday (April 7) and the sun only began to rise. But thousands of people from Jakarta and Greater Jakarta area already packed the east parking zone of Bung Karno Sports Stadium in South Jakarta.
They were not there to watch music concert. Sporting black and gold hat and t-shirt with the writing “Pemilu Run” on it and jersey number on their chests, they were set to do marathon held by the General Elections Commission (KPU).
Collaborating with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), KPU held the event to raise people’s awareness to vote on the upcoming elections on April 17.
With the tagline #GunakanHakPilihmu (#UseYourVotingRight), the marathon ran for 5 kilometer, from the sports stadium to Sudirman Street, Semanggi Bridge and Car Free Day area in Blok M, before returning to Semanggi and the sports stadium. When the trumpet sound was heard, thousands of participant ran with their might. Some of them shouted, “Let’s vote!”
Nearing 8 a.m., one by one reached the finish line with various expressions. Some laughed while throwing punches in the air, others walked casually drenched in sweat. KPU Chairman Arief Budiman and KPK Deputy Chair Saut Situmorang were among the participants. After all of them reached the finish line, a voting simulation was held. Saut urged people to vote for leaders with integrity.
“Honest candidates will not give you any money. And don’t choose former corruption convict,” he said.
Arief Budiman said he hoped people did not deliberately choose to not voting (golput/non-voters). “I hope people use their voting rights and vote for candidates with integrity,” he said.
The Vote for Honest Ones campaign was held around KPK’s anticorruption bus. Inside the bus was several computers for people to check the track records of legislative candidates through several websites, such as rekamjejak.net,jariungu.com, kbr.id, and KPU’s official website.
Pemilu Run 2019 was held simultaneously in 34 provinces. It is expected to create ripple effect that when participants return to their neighborhood, they will spread the message to become voters with integrity that oppose bribery and vote for the best legislative candidates and leaders who will bring positive changes to the nation.
(Public Relations Bureau)
