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Allowing active ministers and regional leaders to campaign is 'risky’: Ganjar
Ganjar Pranowo criticized the rule allowing ministers and regional leaders to campaign without resigning, saying it was risky for democracy.
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Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo talks during a meeting with representatives from the early childhood education (PAUD) teachers' association in Reban district, Batang regency, Central Java, on Jan. 16, 2024. Ganjar criticized the rule allowing ministers and regional leaders to campaign without resigning, saying on Jan. 18 that it was risky for democracy. (Antara/Ganjar-Mahfud National Campaign Team )
Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo has criticized the rule that allows ministers, legislators and regional leaders to remain in office while running for president and vice president in the 2024 election.
The former Central Java governor said the rule posed a risk of abuse of power and democratic regression.
"[With] the rule […] we enter a very risky situation," he said on the campaign trail in Widodaren district, Ngawi regency, East Java, on Thursday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He said its implementation ran the risk of undermining the election, which should be direct, general, free, honest and fair, often referred to with the acronym luber-jurdil.
However, he said considering that it was an individual choice whether one resigned or maintained their post, he suggested that every presidential and vice presidential candidate should resign to avoid the possibility of misusing their authority.
"In my opinion, if a minister is a member of a political party, there is the rule of leave, and then they can be involved [in the election]. But if not, this opportunity [to abuse power] will happen,” he said.
“That is why it is better to take leave or resign. Resigning is the best option because it is fair [for all candidates].”
