TKN Claims Jokowi Is Still Neutral, Asks The Public Not To Link With Prabowo-Gibran

JAKARTA - The Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka National Campaign Team (TKN) responded to the news that said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) supported one of the candidate pairs (Paslon) in the 2024 presidential election.

TKN felt the need to straighten out the news because it was linked to candidate pair number 2, Prabowo-Gibran.

"TKN feels the need to answer this even though this is his statement as president. Because this is indeed related to us or candidate pair 02, that's why we answered this in that context," said Deputy Chairperson of TKN Prabowo-Gibran, Meutya Hafid, during a press conference at the Media Center TKN Prabowo-Gibran on Jalan Sriwijaya I, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta, South, Wednesday, January 24.

The chairman of Commission I of the DPR, who was present this morning at the handover of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, explained that President Jokowi only said that all public officials, both ministers and even presidents, have the same rights and are regulated by law.

The President, said Meutya, answered this in the context of the media crew's statement regarding whether to participate in the campaign or not.

"So it means that his statement is not only to answer or say that the president has the right to campaign, but to answer that everyone, as well as the minister and president have the right to participate in campaigning as long as they do not use state facilities," explained Meutya. "How come the news seems to only apologize like a declaration of support by the president, actually not like that," continued Meutya.

Then, continued Meutya, there is a question context with the president regarding the use of the right to express support. The president, he explained, did not mention the names of certain candidate pairs.

"He just stated that 'we'll see'. So that means, he also did not rule out the possibility, but until now he also means that his answer is still neutral," said Meutya.

The chairman of the Golkar Party DPP assessed that all parties must respect the president's political stance. He also asked the public not to immediately conclude that President Jokowi supports certain candidate pairs, especially as linked to candidate pair number 2, Prabowo-Gibran.

"I think, (so that) my friends do not immediately summarize the conclusions," said Meutya.

"However, TKN will wait, earlier he said 'we'll see', whether his right to participate in campaigning or side with one of the candidate pairs, we will both wait for its development. But we still respect the president to remain neutral," he concluded.