22-12-2023 (JAKARTA) In a televised debate on Friday (Dec 22), Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, outlined his vision to create 19 million jobs if elected as the running mate to presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming February 14 presidential election. This marked the first time Gibran, the 36-year-old mayor of Surakarta, spoke openly about the economic plans of the Prabowo-Gibran ticket.
The debate featured three candidates, with Gibran facing off against seasoned politician Muhaimin Iskandar and renowned scholar Mahfud MD. The Prabowo-Gibran ticket has been leading in the polls, ahead of competitors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo.
Gibran and Prabowo’s economic vision focuses on continuing and expanding President Jokowi’s policies, including downstreaming initiatives, infrastructure development, and support for the creative industry and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the archipelago. The goal is to create 19 million jobs by implementing these measures.
Furthermore, the pair plans to relocate the country’s capital from Jakarta to Borneo, continuing President Jokowi’s initiative. Gibran emphasized that their vision involves the “continuation, acceleration, and improvement” of existing policies.
During the debate, Mahfud, who currently serves in President Jokowi’s cabinet, highlighted the importance of eradicating corruption for economic development. He argued that the nation’s wealth in natural resources and a skilled workforce is hindered by widespread corruption, contributing to economic challenges.
Muhaimin, running on a platform promising change, outlined plans to provide incentives for the needy and aspiring entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on increasing social aid to enhance people’s buying power. If elected, Muhaimin pledged to allocate 150 trillion rupiah (US$9.7 billion) to provide loans to small businesses, along with introducing more taxes for the rich and reducing those for the middle-income population.
The debate, organized by the General Election Commission (KPU), is the second in a series leading up to the presidential election. Despite being the vice-presidential candidates’ debate, it drew significant attention, particularly regarding Gibran’s political experience, having been in bureaucracy for only two years. The next debate, scheduled for January 7, will cover topics such as defence, security, geopolitics, and international relations, involving the three presidential candidates.
