Jokowi Permits Prabowo, Mahfud MD to Take Leave for Election Campaigning

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has permitted Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, to take leave for election campaigning, a top government official said.

"Mr. President, through the State Secretary Minister, has given permission to them," presidential special staff coordinator Ari Dwipayana informed while speaking about the 2024 presidential campaign period, which begins November 28, 2023.

In a short message to journalists here on Monday, Dwipayana said that Mahfud, the running mate of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo, has been allowed to take leave on Tuesday (November 28) and on several other dates.

President Widodo has also permitted Subianto, who is contesting the presidential election with Gibran Rakabuming Raka as running mate, to take leave for the election campaign.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has set the presidential campaign period from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024, while the presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on February 14, 2024.

The presidential election will be contested by three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD.

Baswedan and Iskandar have been nominated with the support of the NasDem Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and Ummat Party.

Meanwhile, Subianto and Raka have the backing of the Gerindra Party and a coalition of parties, including Golkar, National Mandate Party (PAN), Democratic Party, and Gelora Party.

Pranowo and Mahfud have the support of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), United Development Party, Perindo Party, and Hanura Party.

Regarding the election campaign, the presidents of eight universities in Yogyakarta have urged those contesting the 2024 elections to conduct their campaign fairly, democratically, and peacefully.

The call for a fair, democratic, and peaceful campaign was given out during an event at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) rectorate building on November 24, according to UGM's website, which ANTARA accessed on Tuesday.

The universities are UGM, Yogyakarta State University (UNY), Veteran National Development University (UPN), Indonesian Islamic University (UII), State Islamic University (UIN) of Sunan Kalijaga, Sanata Dharma University (USD), University of Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY), and APMD College of Rural Community Development.

UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia was quoted as saying that the presidential and parliamentary elections need to be safeguarded to make sure that the fiesta of democracy runs constitutionally and has legitimacy in accordance with the principles of democracy.

The KPU said that it has determined the final voter list, the final list of lawmaker candidates for the House of Representatives (DPR), and the final list of candidates for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD RI) members.

The final voter list for the 2024 elections comprises 204,807,222 voters, the final list of lawmaker candidates for DPR has 9,917 candidates, and the final list of candidates for DPD members has 668 candidates.

Registered voters will cast their votes for the presidential and vice presidential candidates, legislators (DPR/DPRD), and DPD members at polling booths on February 14, 2024.

For the elections, KPU has determined 84 electoral districts for 580 seats at DPR, 301 electoral districts for 2,372 seats at provincial legislative bodies (DPRD Provinsi), and 2,325 electoral districts for 17,510 seats at district/city legislative bodies (DPRD Kabupaten/Kota).

ANTARA

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