Regarding Jokowi Participating In Campaign, PAN: Don't Reduce The President's Political Rights

Chairman of the PAN faction of the DPR RI, Saleh Partaonan Daulay (Nailin/VOI)

JAKARTA - The chairman of the PAN faction of the DPR RI, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, asked the public not to polemic about the political rights of the president and ministers to campaign during the 2024 election. This is because the president and ministers have the same rights as other citizens. Even for ministers, said Saleh, they are allowed to run for legislative candidates.

This was said by Saleh in response to the question of President Joko Widodo who was deemed not to participate in campaigning and sided with one of the candidate pairs who contested the 2024 presidential election.

"As citizens, the president and ministers must be treated equally and equally as other citizens. In fact, if there is an effort to prohibit them from taking sides, it will violate the jurdil principle in the election. Everyone must be honest, everyone must be fair. Everything must be treated fairly," Saleh told reporters, Thursday, January 25.

The chairman of the PAN DPP explained that in practice the president often took sides in the election, especially for the continuation of the second period. The President, said Saleh, of course had to campaign to win his coalition.

Politically, according to Saleh, the president cannot be neutral. Moreover, his political opponents fought back quite tightly.

"There is no ban on the president of the campaign? In fact, election organizers give time for campaigns. Not only in Indonesia, abroad too. Please check and study. In fact, it is very strange if there is a president who wants to run a second time, then take a neutral position, not side by side, not campaign," he said.

The member of the DPR for the North Sumatra electoral district reminded that what is prohibited is to use state facilities to achieve victory. That is what must be closely monitored.

"All parties are invited to carry out surveillance. If there is a violation, please report it to the election supervisor and even to Gakkumdu," he said.

"As a citizen, the president must obey the rules. You must not violate. You must not cheat. As long as there are no violations, there should be no prohibition that eliminates the president's political rights," added Saleh.

Likewise with the ministers. In fact, said Saleh, many ministers register as candidates for legislative members and their images are scattered everywhere.

They, he continued, openly campaigned for themselves and their parties. In fact, carry out persuasive activities to approach the community.

"Are ministerial campaign activities like this prohibited? Are they wrong with themselves and their parties? Is it permissible for ministers to run for legislative members?" he said.

Deputy Secretary of TKN Prabowo-Gibran also appealed not to just interpret something just because he was anxious about losing in the 2024 election. So as to reduce the political rights of the president and minister.

"Therefore, if you want to interpret the existing rules, it needs to be done comprehensively. Don't worry about losing the match, then there is an effort to reduce political rights that are naturally inherent in the president and minister who are also Indonesian citizens," concluded Saleh.