Indonesian Election Watchdog Summons the President's Son Over Alleged Campaign Violation
Indonesia's election watchdog, Bawaslu, has summoned Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of President Joko Widodo and the running mate for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, for questioning regarding an alleged campaign violation. The summons comes as the leading presidential candidate's campaign faces scrutiny just weeks before the February 14 election.
Gibran Rakabuming Raka is seeking the vice-presidential position alongside Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, and their campaign currently enjoys a solid lead over rival presidential candidates Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo.
The alleged violation revolves around an incident at a public "car-free day" event last month, where Gibran is accused of distributing free milk in violation of campaign rules. According to Dimas Trianto Putro, an official at Bawaslu, there are concerns that this act may have breached a 2016 Jakarta gubernatorial regulation prohibiting "events for the interests of political parties" during car-free day events.
"We need to have clarification from Gibran; we want to make sure whether it (the allegation) is right or not," stated Dimas Trianto Putro during a press briefing.
Bawaslu, however, lacks the authority to penalize Gibran, and it remains unclear whether city authorities will take any punitive measures in response to the alleged violation.
Habiburokhman, deputy head of Prabowo's campaign team, confirmed that Gibran will attend Bawaslu's summons on Wednesday around 1 p.m. (0600 GMT). Additionally, Afriansyah Noor, another deputy at Prabowo's campaign team, stated that the team would respect Bawaslu's ruling if the allegations are proven correct, emphasizing that they were unaware that the act constituted a violation.
Gibran's candidacy has been a source of controversy, stemming from a decision by the country's constitutional court last October to remove an age bar, allowing him to run in the elections. While Prabowo maintains a lead over his opponents, recent polls suggest a surge in popularity for Anies Baswedan, with indications that he has overtaken Ganjar Pranowo in two separate December polls conducted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Kompas newspaper. The unfolding events add an extra layer of complexity to an already closely watched election.
