PDIP Able to Face Smear Campaign on Jokowi

Jakarta (Antara) - The Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) has stated that it believed it could face smear campaign that has so far been launched on its presidential candidate, Joko Widodo. "PDIP thinks the attack is part of the steep road that a leader must take," party Secretary General Tjahjo Kumolo declared in an electronic message received here on Tuesday. He pointed out that all party functionaries must remain calm with regard to the smear campaign against PDIP and Jokowi (Joko Widodo). "We will face it calmly and even with a smile and will not be provoked," he remarked. "PDIP would even appreciate people who have responded to the attack on Jokowi and Megawati (party's chief) wisely," he explained, adding that the political attack was only part of political competition. "Therefore we will not be influenced and we will refer the political decision for a change along with PDIP and Jokowi to the people," he added. With regard to the increasing tension in political campaigns marked by increasing smear campaigns on PDIP and Jokowi, PDIP General Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri has appealed to all political elites in the country to respect ethics and democracy. ***1*** Reporting by Anom Prihantoro. (*)