Joko Calls for Neutrality and Safety Ahead of Simultaneous Regional Elections
Jakarta. President Joko Widodo on Thursday addressed the National Coordination Meeting, known as Rakornas, at Ancol's Eco Park in North Jakarta ahead of next month's regional elections.
The Rakornas, focusing on cooperations between central and local governments for the Dec. 9 elections, discussed preparations ahead of the elections in which 269 regions across the country vote for governors, district leaders and deputies.
Joko called on all involved agencies to ensure the elections run smoothly.
“The regional elections allow the regional governments to effectively improve their people's welfare. All of Indonesia's hopes for peaceful, safe and democratic regional elections rest on all of our shoulders,” he said.
“I have instructed those responsible for the elections' safety to take preventive steps so we can keep things possibly threatening the elections from happening.”
“Don't let any small event occur, leading to the country being ridiculed by other countries for being unable to run the regional elections properly. Regardless of the magnitude, the district sector offices, the regional polices, even high prosecutor's offices, all elements must be able to detect as early as possible for those possible threats,” Joko said.
The President reaffirmed that the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) remain professional and independent and ensure the victors win the vote fairly.
“As for the civil servants, I would like the [current] governors, district leaders, and mayors to keep the civil servants' neutrality,” he added. Civil servants are banned from endorsing or campaigning for any candidate.
“Every time I visit a certain region each week [to monitor the regions' preparations for the elections], I have noticed they are relatively quiet about it. No excitement whatsoever," Joko said.
Joko was joined at the event by several ministers and the chiefs of the National Police and National Military.
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