Jokowi Touches on "Directions of the Village Chief", PPP: The President Must Be Neutral

Acting chairman of PPP Muhamad Mardiono (Nailin In Saroh/VOI)

JAKARTA - Acting General Chair of PPP Muhammad Mardiono, responding to President Joko Widodo's speech which mentioned the code 'Village Chief' for the direction of the 2024 Presidential Election. According to him, as head of state Jokowi should be neutral even though on the one hand he is also a PDI Perjuangan cadre.

"Yes, of course, Mr. President as the head of state and head of government, yes, of course, you have to adhere to neutrality," said Mardiono at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, August 16.

"But Mr. President Jokowi is also a PDIP cadre, of course, Mr. Jokowi is also a politician, but in his position as head of state, of course, he has to put it in a neutral position," he continued.

Even so, Mardiono agrees with Jokowi that leaders must have public trust. According to Mardiono, this characteristic is present in the PDI Perjuangan presidential candidate, Ganjar Pranowo.

"PPP for supporting Mr. Ganjar, yes of course the figure of Mr. Ganjar that Mr. Jokowi meant earlier. So yes, Mr. Ganjar also has a leadership style similar to Mr. Jokowi," he said.

Alluding to the photo of Jokowi displayed with the presidential candidate, Mardiono said it would be unethical to use it as campaign material. However, it is only natural that Jokowi's photo is displayed in the context of the RI president.

"In my opinion, what was the context in which the photo was posted. In the context of a head of state, of course, every citizen has the right to post it. We know that every supporting house, then the government office, has a photo of the president posted," he explained.

"But in the context of being used as a campaign, yes of course it is not permissible if he is president."