Jokowi calls on all parties to oppose hoaxes in Indonesia’s elections

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on all parties to fight against the practices of making and spreading defamatory statements and fake news (hoaxes) ahead of and during the campaign period of Indonesia’s 2024 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.

Speaking at the Pagar Nusa Central Leadership Inauguration in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday, he said differences in voting choices in the elections are normal. Therefore, the nation should not get disunited just because of the different choices.

“The 2024 election must be monitored and guarded. We fight against defamation, do you agree? We fight against hoaxes, do you agree?,” said Jokowi.

“We fight against the practices of demeaning and demonizing each other, do you agree? And we fight against efforts to divide the nation, do you agree?,” he added.

President Jokowi emphasized that the upcoming elections are an arena for contestation to offer ideas, innovations, and solutions as capital to make leaps of progress.

“Not to defame each other. If there are people who defame one another and speak ill of each other in the community, I ask Pagar Nusa to reconcile and calm each other down,” he said.

He asked all parties to participate in maintaining and ensuring that next year’s simultaneous elections run well and smoothly, as well as ensuring the sustainability of the country’s development that has been carried out together.

On that occasion,Jokowi congratulated the general chairperson and all members of the Pagar Nusa central executive board who implement their mandate for the 2023-2028 term.

He asked Pagar Nusa to develop programs that protect Indonesia from various threats that can damage its character and identity.