Prabowo-Hatta Duo Promises to Maintain Diversity

Jakarta (Antara) - Presidential and vice presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa promised to continue maintaining diversity which has become the power of the Indonesian nation. "In the daily activities, we will continue maintaining an atmosphere of diversity in the process of recruitment and political opportunity," Prabowo said in a presidential debate here on Monday as the Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU)'s campaign program for the election scheduled on July 9, 2014. The first debate, which was moderated by the director of the Anti-Corruption Study Center of the Yogyakarta-based Gajahmada University, Zaenal Arifin Mochtar, were followed by debates between the Prabowo Subianto - Hatta Rajasa pair and Joko Widodo (Jokowi) - Jusuf Kalla duo. Prabowo said so far the diversity in Indonesia has well established and the existing legal framework has provided protection to the minorities, but the leaders should give examples to maintain the diversity atmosphere. "We are committed to continue maintaining it (diversity) by providing good (political) education, not the existing legal framework, besides the essential exemplary of elements of leadership," he said. In addition, Prabowo claimed to have provided exemplary and good attitude towards the minorities when he supported Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) to run as vice governor of Jakarta. "We have supported the minority when Ahok was the running mate of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as the gubernatorial candidate which at the time was quite controversial. But as leader of the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), I was the one who staunchly defending him from an attack," Prabowo disclosed. Currently, there are two presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs, Prabowo-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla pair, who will contest in the July 9 presidential election. The Prabowo-Hatta duo is supported by the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party, the Prosperous Justice Party, the United Development Party (PPP), and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) with 292 seats or 52.14 percent in the parliament. While the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla duo is supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the National Democrat Party (Nasdem), the National Awakening Party (PKB), and the People`s Conscience Party (Hanura) with 207 seats or 36.96 percent of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s 560 seats. (*) Reporting by Satyagraha