Jakarta

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday (Jan 24) stoked controversy after he said that presidents can take sides in an election. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Thursday, President Widodo, a leader of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), told reporters that campaigning was a democratic right. 

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"Every minister (has) this same (right). The president can campaign. The president can take sides. But the most important thing is that during the campaign (we) must not use state facilities," Widodo said during a handover ceremony of new military transport aircraft to the air force at Jakarta's Perdanakusumah Air Base.

Widodo faced criticism for his remarks, the report said. But this is not the first time that the president made controversial remarks. In September last year, Widodo said he would meddle in the general election in Feb 2024 to ensure that his successor would continue his programmes.

Also read | Indonesian president's son summoned by election watchdog ahead of polls

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Till now, Widodo has not officially stated his support for any of the presidential candidates for the Feb 14 election. However, he has been widely perceived to have given his tacit support to Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto’s campaign given that the ticket’s vice presidential candidate is Widodo’s eldest son Gibran.

His behind-the-scenes backing of Subianto has fractured his government, with several ministers weighing resignation, Bloomberg reported. These include Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi. 

Speaking to the SCMP, Devi Darmawan, a political researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency, said that Widodo's recent remarks could further damage his relationship with former president and chairperson of PDI-P Megawati Sukarnoputri.

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“Among all political party leaders, Megawati has voiced the loudest criticism that our democracy is declining [under Joko]. She once said that the current election resembles elections during the New Order,” Darmawan said, referring to Suharto's dictatorship.

Meanwhile, Ari Dwipayana, coordinator of the president’s special staff, clarified Widodo’s statement by saying the law did not forbid a sitting president from having a preferred candidate or from campaigning for them.

Dwipayana highlighted that former presidents including Megawati took part in campaigns for their respective parties when they held public offices. However, Darmawan argued that Megawati and other ex-presidents were party leaders at the time and were only allowed to campaign in that capacity, not as presidents.

“Jokowi is not a chairman of any party, so he is not responsible for the direction and political development of any party. He is not a participant in the coming election either. So what is his political interest in declaring partiality?,” the political researcher said. 

(With inputs form agencies)