Jakarta – Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar campaign team co-captain Sudirman Said said his team would not mobilize ministers for presidential campaign purposes, despite President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's permission.
"So far we have not mobilized public officials [from supporting political parties] who are still affiliated with the government. We clearly will not do that," said Sudirman during a press conference on Wednesday, as quoted by Kumparan.
Currently, there are three ministers affiliated with political parties that support the Anies-Muhaimin team. They are Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah from the National Awakening Party (PKB), Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar also from the PKB and Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya from the NasDem Party.
He said ministers had busy schedules to serve the public, and performing campaign duties would further burden them.
Sudirman said the Anies-Muhaimin team aimed to guard the election process. He also highlighted the importance of the impartiality of government leaders.
"We believe that the highest government leader anywhere can make their own laws because they have the authority. And if the basis is solely from the law or legalization, we can see that the law can be manipulated according to their interests."
As election day approaches, President Jokowi has made his support for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka apparent. He said on Wednesday that a president had the right to campaign.
Sudirman said there were several risks that arose after Jokowi expressed his support for Prabowo, the country's defense minister, in the upcoming election.
"We seem to have lost a good source of a role model. This is dangerous for national standards. If [we face a] technical matter, we can fix this quickly. However, if it is a matter of morality and ethics, it will take a long time," said Sudirman.
Sudirman attributed Jokowi's increased support for Prabowo mainly because his eldest child, Gibran, was his running mate.