Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar Camp to Report Jokowi to Bawaslu

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar campaign team’s legal head, Ari Yusuf Amir, planned to report President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to the Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) over the latter’s remark that a president could campaign for and take sides with any pair of presidential candidates in the elections. 

Ari lamented that the statement could lead to political instability in the country. “Such a blatant statement will certainly disturb our political stability,” he said in an official statement on Thursday, January 25.

On this basis, Ari said that his side would report the president to Bawaslu. “We will share our legal opinion with Bawaslu and let Bawaslu respond to it,” he added.

On January 24, Jokowi said a sitting president and ministers are allowed to campaign and support any election contestants. The statement was reportedly made under Article 281 (1) of the Law No. 7/2017 on elections. 

Ari further emphasized the importance of the neutrality of the state civil apparatus in order to maintain political stability. He opined that if the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) choose sides in the presidential elections, there will be a high chance of public chaos.

“What if the state apparatus, the TNI, and the Polri side with one of the candidate pairs, and then the other candidate pairs do not believe in them? How will they maintain social order in society?” said Ari.

TIKA AYU

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