2024 Election: Jokowi Asks Presidential Candidates to Remain Calm

Liputan6.com, Solo - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi asked the presidential and vice-presidential candidates to maintain a conducive and safe political situation. Currently, Indonesian political situation is already heated with political speculations.

"With the world that is very vulnerable like this we all have to maintain conducive, and the political situation to remain cool, if possible. If it cannot be, at best it is warm, however do not get hot. Because the world situation is not normal," said Jokowi at the XVII National Conference of Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in Solo, Central Java, Monday (21/11/2022).

According to Jokowi, there were presidential and vice-presidential candidates who were present at the event, although he did not name them. 

"I just want to entrust the presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates who are also present here. I don't want to say who. But the Minister for Investment has already said it bluntly earlier. So I don't have to repeat it," he said.

At that event, Minister for Investment Bahlil Lahadahlia said that the House Speaker Puan Maharani and Minister for State-Owned Companies Erick Thohir were having the potential to join the 2024 election. 

Puan is from the same party with President Jokowi.

Jokowi also invited the candidates to debate political ideas and concepts. He reminded the candidates not to bring the politics of divisiveness into the debate. Jokowi emphasized that the politicization of religion and identity is very dangerous for Indonesia.

"Debate, please. Debate concepts, debate ideas to make this country better. But don't get heated. Don't get into SARA politics, don't politicize religion, and don't do identity politics. It is very dangerous for a country as big as Indonesia which is very diverse," said Jokowi.

"We have felt it and it has taken a long time. Avoid this," said Jokowi.

Writer: Safinatun Nikmah.

Lisza Egeham also contributed to this report.