Moeldoko: President Jokowi's Statement On Campaigns Is Educational Democracy

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko when giving information to the media at the Jami' Nurul Huda Mosque, Singosari, Malang Regency, East Java, Friday (26/1/2024). ANTARA/Vicki Febrianto

The Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko stated that President Joko Widodo's statement that the president and minister have the right to democracy and politics to participate in the campaign is part of democratic education. This was conveyed by Moeldoko after Friday prayers in Singosari District, Malang Regency, East Java, Friday, January 26. Moeldoko said that President Joko Widodo's statement some time ago was in accordance with the applicable law. "So, yesterday's Presidential context was in providing democratic learning. Follow the law," said Moeldoko as quoted by Antara. For information, the rules regarding campaigns are regulated in Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections (Pemilu) in the eighth part of the election campaign by the president and other state officials. The rules related to thellowing the president to participate in the campaign are contained in Article 299, the first point which states that the president and vice president have the right to carry out the campaign, and the second point is that other state officials who are members of political parties have the right to carry out campaigns. In the law, said Moeldoko, it was clear that the president and vice president were allowed to carry out campaigns. However, what is not allowed is when carrying out campaigns using state facilities. "Except for security, it still exists. The law we hold, do not based on assumptions or feelings because we are a state of law, not an assumption country," said Moeldoko. However, Moeldoko emphasized that President Joko Widodo was not preparing to carry out a campaign from one of the certain pairs of candidates. In addition, there is also no information on whether President Joko Widodo will apply for leave. "The context conveyed by the President, is not immediately preparing himself to campaign. Regarding the application for leave, we should not rush to see there," said Moeldoko. Previously, President Jokowi in Jakarta, Wednesday (24/1), said that the president and minister had democratic and political rights that allowed them to participate in the election campaign as long as they did not use state facilities. Jokowi said this when responding to a number of ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet who entered as a successful team to support the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs participating in the 2024 presidential election. Previously, the Indonesian KPU had determined the participants of the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections (Pilpres), namely the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar pair 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, then the voting schedule will be on February 14, 2024.