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Ganjar casts doubt over Jokowi-village heads meeting
The PDI-P made a veiled dig at the President's recent meeting with a village heads' association, though he admitted he did not know its purpose, while association leaders said it was primarily to discuss the Village Law revision and that politics was not on the table.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (right, rear) delivers a speech on Oct. 30, 2023 at a meeting with 197 acting regional heads at the State Palace in Jakarta, calling on them “not to pick sides" during the 2024 election. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
G
anjar Pranowo has said that a meeting on Friday between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and village heads at the State Palace might lead to unfair elections if the President had called on them to support certain candidates.
"As long as [they discussed] government matters, it is not a problem,” Ganjar said on Sunday after visiting an Islamic boarding school in Purworejo, Central Java, as quoted by Antara News.
But if the meeting was about “political direction” to support certain figures, “I think it would be unfair", said the presidential candidate of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), adding that he did not know the purpose of the meeting.
"I don't know the context of yesterday's meeting. Hopefully, it was still about governmental [matters] and no abuse of power happened," Ganjar said.
Senthot Rudi Prastiono, secretary-general of the All Indonesia Village Administration Association (Papdesi), said the meeting with the Presidents was to discuss the implementation of a recent amendment to the Village Law.
"We wanted to ask him directly regarding the law revision," Senthot told reporters after the meeting.
The amendment includes extending village heads’ term in office, increasing the Village Funds program, determining the status of village officials and village autonomy.
Senthot said the President also asked village heads during the meeting to hold safe and peaceful elections in 2024.
Asked if political matters were part of the discussions, he replied: "None. [The meeting] didn't discuss politics at all.”
Indonesia’s general election on Feb. 14 is set to be largest single-day simultaneous elections in the world, after which the regional elections are to be held on Nov. 27.
Separately, Papdesi treasurer Sujiono emphasized that the meeting was about ensuring safe and smooth elections in villages.
"So the President entrusted us, the village leaders who were present [at the meeting], to ensure there was absolutely no fraud in the coming election, [and hopefully it will be] peaceful and smooth," Sujiono said on Friday, after the meeting with the President.
"We, the people at the [grassroots], really want to be able to participate in the election with ease," he added.
