Ganjar Responds To Jokowi About Defense Data Not Like A Grocery Shop: His Running Is Even Everywhere

JAKARTA - Presidential candidate number three, Ganjar Pranowo emphasized that he would not question the issue of defense that could not be opened to the public. He only asked the presidential candidate number two, Prabowo Subianto, who is also the Minister of Defense (Menhan), to present general data.

He conveyed this in response to President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) statement that defense data cannot be opened carelessly such as grocery stores. Ganjar emphasized that the requested data is general data, one of which is the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) or the minimum achievement of the TNI.

"(What was asked, ed) was only how much, it's not really like that, that's all. But, he ran everywhere. No, I didn't dismantle (secret, red)," said Ganjar to reporters in Cilacap, Central Java, Tuesday, January 9.

Ganjar said the data he asked should be accessible to the public. However, because he couldn't find him while looking for him on the Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan) website, he chose to ask directly in the debate.

"Just yesterday we wanted to open it. So if someone says they don't educate, I educate. Eh, we don't have a defense white paper, you know," he said.

"And around the world there is (the defense white paper, red)," continued the former Governor of Central Java.

Moreover, Ganjar actually did not expect Prabowo to answer at length, including inviting him to talk in the dark room. He considered it more appropriate for the General Chairperson of the Gerindra Party to admit his shortcomings and promised to correct them.

"So there is no personal interest. I am talking about policies and data (which are opened, red) is not an undisclosed data," said the PDIP cadre.

As previously reported, President Jokowi emphasized that defense data including the issue of defense equipment cannot be opened like grocery stores. The goal is that the state's strategy is not to be caught.

"You can't open everything like a grocery store, you can't, you can't," said Joko Widodo on the sidelines of a working visit in Serang, Banten, as reported by Antara, Monday, January 8.

Anies in the third debate with the theme of defense and security organized by the KPU asked Prabowo as Minister of Defense to open up a number of data. The same thing was conveyed by Ganjar, who was compact with the former Governor of DKI Jakarta, throwing the purchase of used defense equipment.