President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is requiring regional heads to ask for his permission to run for president or vice president.

A government regulation signed by the President on July 18 stipulates that all regional heads must ask for the president’s permission should they seek candidacy in the 2019 presidential election.

“Governors, deputy governors, regents, deputy regents, mayors or deputy mayors supported by political parties to serve as their presidential or vice presidential candidate must ask permission from the president,” Article 29 of the regulation says.

The regulation, implemented on July 19, further explains that the president will give permission, at the most 15 days after receiving official letters from those seeking candidacy. Moreover, if within 15 days a candidate does not receive an official response from the president, permission can be considered to have been granted.  

The political parties backing the regional heads running for the country’s top posts must also submit a copy of the permission request to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and West Nusa Tenggara Governor M. Zainul Majdi, aka Tuan Guru Bajang (TGB) are among those being touted by political parties and analysts as possible candidates in the 2019 presidential race.

The regulation also stipulates resignation procedures for officials running in the legislative election held concurrently with the presidential election, next year.

In 2014, Jokowi, who then served as Jakarta governor, had also asked then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's permission to take leave to run in the presidential election that same year. (rin)