Ganjar Doesn't Have A Problem With Jokowi's Meeting With Prabowo

Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Presidential candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo said that he had no problem with the meeting between President Joko Widodo and the Minister of Defense and Presidential Candidate Number 2 Prabowo Subianto ahead of the third debate for the 2024 presidential election.

Ganjar also said that he had no problem with the meeting between Jokowi and the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs as well as the General Chair of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto at the Bogor Botanical Gardens, Bogor City, West Java, Saturday.

"Oh, I don't have a problem. It's an option," said Ganjar in the Cakung area, Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, January 6.

However, Ganjar said that the meetings held by Jokowi had shown partiality in the 2024 presidential election.

"Oh, if it was for me, it would have shown that I was taking sides. For me, it's normal. I've already taken sides," he said.

For this reason, Ganjar advised Jokowi to emphasize his political stance regarding taking sides in the 2024 presidential election.

"In fact, it would be better if it was emphasized that 'Yes, I take sides'," said the presidential candidate number 3.

Meanwhile, Ganjar emphasized to the Jokowi government not to abuse its power in the implementation of the 2024 presidential election.

"The important thing is that there will be no abuse of authority, power so that everything can be fair play, it can be jurdil (honest and fair), that's it. For me, it's normal," said the former Governor of Central Java for two periods.

Previously, Presidential Special Staff Coordinator Ari Dwipayana said that President Jokowi had dinner accompanied by Defense Minister Prabowo in the Menteng area, Jakarta, Friday (5/1) night.

"Tonight, the President relaxed for a moment to try archipelago dishes at the Thousand Flavor Menteng Restaurant. During dinner, the President was accompanied by Defense Minister Mr. Prabowo Subianto," said Ari.

Ari's statement answered questions about photos circulating among journalists, which indicated President Jokowi was in a restaurant with Prabowo.

On Saturday morning, President Jokowi also exerciseed and had breakfast together with one of the chairmen of the Prabowo-Gibran coalition party, Airlangga Hartarto and the ranks of the banyan party at the Bogor Botanical Gardens, Bogor City, West Java.

Based on photos and videos received in Jakarta on Saturday, it appears that President Jokowi invites Airlangga to exercise together along the Bogor Botanical Gardens, then the two of them also have breakfast with a number of Golkar Party officials.

In one of the videos, President Jokowi and Airlangga also appear to be sitting in discussions together at a tea banquet in the morning.

The General Election Commission (KPU) of the Republic of Indonesia on Monday, November 13, 2023, determined three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates to participate in the 2024 presidential election.

The results of the draw and determination of the number of participants for the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, the pair Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar received serial number 1, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka number 2, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md serial number 3.

The KPU has also set a campaign period from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, while the voting schedule is on February 14, 2024.