Passive Ma'ruf Amin: Presidential Debate Not Verbal Race
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Markus Wisnu Murti
Jumat, 18 Januari 2019 14:35 WIB
Presidential candidate Joko Widodo (right) and his running-mate Ma'ruf Amin at the first round of presidential debate in Jakarta, Thursday, January 17, 2019. TEMPO/Subekti.
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s presidential election running-mate Ma’ruf Amin said he intentionally limited his portion in last night's presidential debate to let Jokowi answer most of the questions. He maintained that it was to avoid it being a verbal ‘race’.
“If it was explained by the president then I would just need to agree with him and support [his answers]. I wouldn’t want us to verbally compete with each other,” said the Islamic scholar-cum-politician at his residence today.
Ma’ruf Amin said the inaugural debate last night mostly argued on and blasted Jokowi’s leadership in the past four years, which was why he thought it would be appropriate that Jokowi should answer most of his rivals’ criticism.
“For the things that happened in the past, Jokowi should answer them, but in certain things, I was the one to provide an answer,” said Ma’ruf Amin.
Ma’ruf Amin mainly answered the panelist’s questions in the segment centering on present and future terror threats. He took the time to quote a passage in the Holy Quran.
