President Jokowi`s Leave During Campaign Period is Mandatory

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - General Elections Commission (KPU) member Hasyim Asy'ari said President Joko Widodo or Jokowi will be required to take a campaign leave if he intends to run in the 2019 Presidential Election. The mechanism will be included in the KPU draft regulation on political campaigns, which is currently being deliberated.

“Because taking the leave is mandatory, while organizing a [political] campaign is the right,” Hasyim said at the KPU office in Central Jakarta on Thursday, March 29.

Read: KPU Chairman Finding Ways to Get Around Elections Regulations

By taking a leave during the campaign period, the president is expected not to take an advantage from his facilities or positions. However, the president will still be provided with security details during the campaign.

“Other presidential candidates will get the same security details,” said Hashim.

Jokowi can file a letter the day before taking a leave to the election organizer if he wants to go on a campaign. So far, the leave period has not been determined for the upcoming election.

Read: Jokowi versus Jokowi

Hashim asserted that the president must be able to manage his priority as a head of state and as a presidential candidate.

During an official assignment, President Jokowi will be forbidden to conduct a campaign. On Monday or Tuesday next week, the KPU will visit the House of Representatives to discuss four KPU Regulations, as well as finalizing the mechanism of the president’s leave.

IMAM HAMDI