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Ma'ruf to host VP candidate luncheon next week
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Vice President Ma'ruf Amin speaks during a virtual ceremony on Oct. 2, 2020, to mark the 58th anniversary of the University of Mataram. (Courtesy of Vice Presidential Press Bureau/--)
Vice President Ma'ruf Amin will host the three registered vice presidential candidates for a luncheon on Monday in an effort to promote political civility ahead of the February 2024 election.
Candidates Mahfud MD, Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Muhaimin Iskandar have been invited to the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta for the meal, according to Ma’ruf’s spokesperson Masduki Baidlowi.
“Rivalry is normal as long as it doesn’t create divisions among people. This [lunch] will be a good initiative,” Masduki said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Ma'ruf said on Tuesday that he hoped the meeting could show unity among the vice presidential candidates, adding that the candidates, as well as political parties and campaign managers, were key to preventing unhealthy divisions among Indonesians, Kompas.id reported.
The meeting will complement a luncheon that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo hosted earlier this week for the three candidates running for president next year.
Read also: Jokowi claims neutrality at 2024 race luncheon
Ma'ruf said Jokowi would continue to seek to ensure that the three candidate pairs competed fairly and honestly, avoid mudslinging and smear campaigns that could incite conflict among voters.
