Jokowi No Longer Wants To Assess The Debate Of Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates

President Jokowi (center) was accompanied by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (left) and TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto (right) at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, Wednesday (24/1/2024). (ANTARA PHOTO-Galih Pradipta)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) no longer wants to give an assessment regarding the debate over presidential and vice presidential candidates because they do not want to cause public debate.

"I don't want to judge anymore. (If) it is considered, it will be the second debate again later," said the President after witnessing the symbolic handover of the Super Hercules plane in Jakarta, Wednesday, January 24, which was confiscated by Antara.

This was conveyed by Jokowi when asked for his response to the assessment of a number of parties that his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is the vice presidential candidate number 2, acted disrespectfully in the fourth debate of the 2024 presidential election at the Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Sunday, January 21.

Previously, President Jokowi had provided input or views regarding the third debate of the 2024 presidential election for the three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates.

The President at that time observed that the debate took place by attacking personally, not criticizing the vision and mission of each presidential candidate.

Jokowi said the input or views he conveyed were also for the introspection and evaluation of all parties. Jokowi's input on the debate was responded to by a number of parties.

The KPU has determined three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates participating in the 2024 presidential election, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md.

After the first debate on December 12, 2023, the second debate on December 22, 2023, and the third debate on January 7, 2024, the KPU held a fourth debate that brought together the vice presidential candidates on January 21, 2024.

The theme of the fourth debate includes energy, natural resources (SDA), food, carbon taxes, the environment, agrarians, and indigenous peoples.