TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan said he believes that a more creative scheme is needed to obtain foreign debt.

He conveyed this idea when responding to the answer of presidential candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo at the third presidential debate organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Sunday night, January 7, 2024.

"It is also important to develop a more creative scheme in seeking foreign debt, including private involvement," Baswedan said.

In addition, Baswedan said the debt allocation should be intended for more productive activities so that foreign parties do not intervene in managing or fulfilling state debt obligations.

"Do not use the debt (allocation) for non-productive activities. For instance, the debt should be used by the Defense Ministry to buy used defense equipment system," he said.

Baswedan said that these productive activities would slowly have an impact on the expansion of taxpayers which is expected to increase gross domestic product (GDP).

Previously, the KPU determined the three pairs of the presidential and vice presidential candidates, namely the pair Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar with serial number 1, number 2 Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and number 3 Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD.

KPU has also scheduled the campaign period from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, then the voting day on February 14, 2024.

The themes of the third debate included defense, security, international relations, globalization, geopolitics, and foreign policy.

KPU Chairman Hayim Asy'ari said that the third debate could help voters determining their choice on the voting day.

"Let us watch it earnestly so the debated theme can be taken into consideration,” Asy’ari said.

ANTARA

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