JAKARTA: President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo insisted on Wednesday (Jan 24) that a sitting president is free to back any presidential candidate and that he is entitled to campaign for the candidate of his choice in his free time, providing he makes no use of government facilities while doing so.
The President made the statement during a handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusumah Air Base in East Jakarta for new Hercules C-130J A-1344 military transport aircraft to the Air Force.
Gerindra Party presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto took part in the ceremony in his capacity as Defence Minister.
"Yes, the President can join the campaign. Yes, the President can pick a side. All that is permitted as long as he doesn't use state facilities," President Jokowi told reporters.
Jokowi said that a president could take part in campaigning in his capacity as a politician and not as a public official. When asked if he would make his political preference public, Jokowi gave a noncommittal answer.
"That's what I ask you, should I pick sides?" Jokowi replied with a chuckle.
President Jokowi has not officially announced his preference in the Feb 14 presidential election, but he has signalled his support for Prabowo.
Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka is Prabowo’s running mate and has appeared twice in fractious vice presidential debates. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
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