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Presidential candidates respond to Jokowi’s 'K-drama politics' remarks
Jokowi has criticized politicians who have recently directed talks about the upcoming presidential election in February into unproductive conversations, saying that politics should be "a battle of ideas" instead of being a "drakor" (K-drama).
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Presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto (left), Anies Baswedan (center) and Ganjar Pranowo pose for photographs at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, after attending a luncheon hosted by President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, on Oct. 30, 2023. (Antara/Andi Firdaus)
Presidential candidates responded to President "Jokowi" Widodo's statement comparing the lead-up to the presidential election to drakor (K-drama), with shows of "struggles of the heart" instead of the mind.
Jokowi has criticized politicians who have recently directed talks about February’s presidential election into unproductive conversations, saying that politics should be "a battle of ideas" instead of being a "drakor".
Jokowi made the remarks during the Golkar Party’s anniversary celebration on Monday. Golkar is among the coalition of political parties supporting presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who is running with Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his vice presidential candidate.
The President, who is a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), did not elaborate on whom he directed his remark, but observers have said it was a response to earlier statements from PDI-P politician Hasto Kristiyanto who criticized the President's decision to pair his son with Prabowo, Gerindra’s chairman.
Previously ineligible to run in the presidential election, Gibran, 36, can now run after a Constitutional Court ruling last month enabled people under 40 to run in presidential elections if they had or currently serve as elected officials.
Hasto said the PDI-P has loved Jokowi and his family "so much" but the party was "left behind" for an opportunity that potentially harmed the Constitution, referring to the Constitutional Court verdict.
Responding to Jokowi's remarks, Ganjar Pranowo, the presidential candidate from the PDI-P, said he agreed with Jokowi’s statement about the presidential election being a battle of ideas.
