Jakarta – In the controversy surrounding President Prabowo Subianto’s involvement in political campaigns, various parties have emphasized that Prabowo’s support for certain candidates in the Central Java Pilkada does not violate any laws and regulations.
This clarification is important to straighten out public perception regarding the position of President Prabowo, who also serves as the General Chair of the Gerindra Party.
Gerindra Party Daily Chair, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, explained that the President, like other state officials, has the right to express support or campaign as long as it is done in accordance with applicable regulations.
Dasco emphasized that state officials who wish to campaign are required to take leave and comply with the provisions stipulated in the General Elections Commission (KPU) regulations.
“The president has the right to express support or campaign as long as he follows the applicable rules, including taking leave while campaigning,” Dasco explained.
“During the campaign, the president can call and invite the public to vote for a particular candidate pair as long as it is in accordance with the laws and regulations. The provisions for state officials in campaigning are clearly regulated in the KPU Regulation, so that its implementation must comply with the existing requirements and limitations, including the matter of office facilities,” he continued.
In addition, Dasco emphasized that Prabowo’s presence in the campaign of the candidate pair for governor and deputy governor of Central Java number 2, Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin, was carried out in his capacity as General Chair of the Gerindra Party, not in his role as President.
The Head of the Presidential Communications Office, Hasan Nasbi, stated the same thing. Hasan emphasized that Prabowo gave his support as the General Chair of the party that supports Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin in the 2024 Pilkada contest in Central Java.
“Prabowo’s invitation to support the candidate pair for governor and deputy governor of Central Java number 2, Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin, was conveyed in his capacity as General Chairman of the Gerindra Party,” said Hasan.
Meanwhile, Ujang Komarudin, an academic from Al Azhar University Indonesia, gave his views from an academic perspective.
According to him, the support conveyed by Prabowo did not contain any elements of intervention or political “interference” that violated the law.
Ujang emphasized that as the General Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo does have the political right to support candidates nominated by his party, including Ahmad Luthfi in the Central Java Pilkada.
“The video of support delivered by Prabowo Subianto is not an intervention or political interference and does not conflict with the law. The support was delivered by Prabowo as the General Chair of the Gerindra Party which supports Ahmad Lutfhi in the 2024 Central Java Pilkada,” explained Ujang.
Ujang added that the regulations governing state officials’ campaigns are very clear. In this context, Prabowo as President continues to respect the regulations by not involving state facilities in campaign activities or political support. ><