KPU Will Announce To The Public If President Jokowi Leaves For Presidential Election Campaign

Member of the Indonesian KPU Idham Holik during an exclusive interview with ANTARA at Wisma Antara B, Cikini, Jakarta, Monday (29/1/2024). ANTARA/Narda Margaretha Sinambela

JAKARTA - The Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) will convey to the public that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will campaign in the 2024 presidential election. "Yes (it will be conveyed to the public)," said RI KPU member Idham Holik during an exclusive interview with ANTARA at Wisma Antara B, Cikini, Jakarta, Monday. He also believes that President Jokowi will send a letter of leave to campaign for the Indonesian KPU. "In principle, we believe that if the president will carry out a campaign, he will definitely submit a letter of leave to us," he explained. Previously, Thursday, January 25, Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Hasyim Asy’ari explained that if Indonesian President Joko Widodo decided to participate in the campaign during the 2024 general election (Pemilu) then he would apply for leave to himself. "He applied for leave (to himself), yes, there is only one president," said Hasyim in response to reporters' questions when he was met in Jakarta, Thursday. Hasyim, on the same occasion, explained the president's political right to be involved in a protected campaign and regulated by laws and regulations. Article 281 of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning elections regulates the procedures for the president to participate in campaigns, including taking leave because during his campaign activities, the president is prohibited from using state facilities, except for security facilities from the presidential security forces (Paspampres). In the regulation, the president also takes leave outside of state responsibilities, which means the president does not get salaries and allowances if he participates in the campaign. Meanwhile, the same rules also apply to the ministers involved in the campaign.

The General Election Commission (KPU) of the Republic of Indonesia has determined three participants in the 2024 presidential election, namely the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar pair number 1, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka number 2, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md number 3. The campaign period for the 2024 presidential election will take place from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, then the voting schedule will be on February 14, 2024.