TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the public were smart enough to judge a smear campaign. However, the police must conduct investigation of these smear campaign cases so that it would not leave the impression of being tolerated.
"I think the matter (smear campaigns) should be left to the public. People are smart but of course there should be no exception. It must be investigated," Jokowi said in Garut District, West Java, on Thursday night.
As the campaign cooling off period is nearing, Jokowi began denying various slanderous rumors addressed to him, such matters as the sensitive racial, religious inter-group issues (SARA).
"They all are slanders. I am not a citizen of Singapore and I have never had the intention to eliminate bonuses for teachers and the cheap rice for the poor program," he said referring a slander that he was a Chinese descent of Singapore and had the intention of abolishing the rice for poor (Raskin) program and bonuses for teachers.
He also denied being linked to communism, saying that it was a vicious rumor against him.
"There are a lot of smear campaigns against me. I have tried to remain calm, but the rumors keep spreading. This is getting too much. Being linked to communism is insulting," Jokowi stated during a press conference after campaigning in Bandung city.
ANTARA | ELLA SYAFPUTRI
