TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) said incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is likely to be re-elected in 2019 presidential race if his infrastructure development program is successful in the coming five months.
"The success (in infrastructure development) can decide his victory. It must have impact (on his electability. And the government, any government in the world, must do that. The development must be successful. If successful, incumbent can be re-elected. This condition applies in any country," the Vice President said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Presidential campaign can be a momentum to build and win people`s sympathy, particularly if the infrastructure projects in the country were completed before the election is held in April 2019.
However, infrastructure development in Indonesia does not depend on the election campaign period alone. Infrastructure development will continue with or without a campaign, said Kalla, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Board of the National Campaign Team for the Jokowi-Ma`ruf Pair.
The vice president said that not all development projects during the Jokowi-JK government would be completed before the election, because there were several projects that were multi years or completed for years.
"Depending on each (project), there are projects that are multi years encompassing (government) term, there are things that can be completed soon. Don`t forget, April will come in five months; so not all can be (finished in) five months, as they are multi year projects," he explained.
Infrastructure, projects that are expected to be completed before the General Election include the development of Jakarta`s mass rapid transit and several light rail transit (LRT) lines.
"What can be done (completed next year) is likely the MRT because it is almost finished. There are also some LRT, some toll roads, but not all of them can be completed due to their long-term work program," he said.
ANTARA
