REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said he hoped that sensitive issues of religious, racial, tribal, and group differences (SARA) would not be raised during campaign in 2018 regional elections.

"The impact of Jakarta gubernatorial election has certainly spilled to other big regions. But I hope that there would no more campaign on SARA issues, like in Jakarta, again in next year's regional elections," he said, while giving directives to first, second, and third echelon officials, here on Friday.

He stated that there must be firm action from authorities concerned to prevent the case from happening again, adding that KPU (General Election Commission), Bawaslu (Election Supervision Agency), and security authorities must prevent campaigning on SARA issues, as well as hate speeches.

"The campaign must be on concepts or ideas on how to improve the welfare of the community," he stated.

Minister Tjahjo Kumolo noted that next year's regional elections might carry the atmosphere of a presidential election, which is scheduled in 2019, as it would involve 68 percent of the total voters in the country.

He remarked that he has called on the home ministry officials to conduct coordination in all the regions to assure that the elections would run smoothly.

KPU has set the date for the elections on June 27, 2018. A total of 171 regions would be involved in the elections, including 17 provinces, 39 cities, and 115 districts.

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