Indonesia’s Jokowi not meddling with election, backs Prabowo for continuity: Loyalist

JAKARTA – A long-time ally of Indonesian President Joko Widodo has launched a staunch defence of the popular leader amid a storm of criticism, rejecting allegations of his political interference to try to sway the outcome of

the Feb 14 presidential election.

In an interview broadcast on Feb 7, senior minister and Jokowi loyalist Luhut Pandjaitan confirmed the Indonesian President was backing front runner and former rival Prabowo Subianto as the candidate most likely to continue his agenda after a decade in power.

Mr Widodo, also known as Jokowi, cannot seek re-election and has not explicitly backed a candidate. He has faced mounting allegations of ethical breaches and meddling ahead of the polls, including in a court’s

last-minute decision to change election rules,

which allowed his son to become Mr Prabowo’s running mate. Mr Widodo has rejected them.

Mr Luhut said there was nothing wrong with the ruling of the Constitutional Court, which was then headed by Mr Widodo’s brother-in-law, who remains on the bench.

The judge was reprimanded by an ethics panel for intentionally allowing “intervention from an external party”, which it did not name.

“Do you think it’s possible for the President to influence these nine justices? If so, there must be something wrong with the appointment process,” Mr Luhut told CNN Indonesia.

Asked why Mr Widodo supported Mr Prabowo, Mr Luhut said the Indonesian President believed he was the candidate to advance his economic policies, such as creating downstream industries to process natural resources following its successful implementation on nickel.

“This continuity demonstrates Jokowi’s love for this republic. The current programmes are the forces that will improve the Indonesian economy,” Mr Luhut said.

Another administration might stall progress made in the resource-rich nation to boost incomes, he said, adding only Mr Prabowo had shown strong support for Mr Widodo’s downstreaming policy.

While rival Anies Baswedan has criticised the rapid expansion of nickel processing, all three candidates have said they would continue developing resource processing industries.

“It has nothing to do with his son being on the ticket,” Mr Luhut said of Mr Widodo backing Mr Prabowo. “It’s reasonable for someone to want his child to be vice-president.”

Some analysts say Mr Widodo’s support for Mr Prabowo and his son as his running mate is a calculated manoeuvre to protect his legacy and maintain his political clout after he makes way in 2024.

Mr Luhut praised Mr Prabowo, who was accused of – but denies – committing human rights violations in the 1990s while he was a special forces commander. Mr Luhut said people should not be fixated on Mr Prabowo’s past.

“He has proven himself. I never doubted his sense of nationalism, I never doubted his consistency and I never doubted his love for this republic,” Mr Luhut said. REUTERS