A month into campaign season, election contenders have agreed with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin that ministers running or campaigning for their candidates in the February presidential race should resign from their posts so they do not get distracted from their jobs.

Ma’ruf made the statement on Friday during a talk show aired by Kompas TV. He said the government was open to the possibility of evaluating a regulation that allows government officials to keep their posts and take regular leave during the campaign season.

"If it turns out in the evaluation that many [rules] were violated, then it would be better to return to the way it was before – that ministers in the race should resign," Ma'ruf said.

Ma'ruf also called on the public to monitor the election process and keep an eye on the ministers contesting or campaigning for their candidates in the race.

"Whether they comply with the regulation, [such as] when they have to take leave during campaigning, [or] when they [are on duty] as officials […] I think that should be monitored by the public," he said.

Currently, there are two members of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s cabinet in the race.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is running as a presidential candidate alongside Jokowi’s son Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and they are supported by an alliance of political parties led by Prabowo’s Gerindra Party.

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