"I say once again, this country is a big country, do not sacrifice your unity and brotherhood only for the elections," Jokowi stated.Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called on the people of West Kalimantan Province to continue to maintain unity ahead of the upcoming 2018 regional head elections.
"The people of Indonesia should not be divided because of the election of regional heads that is held once in five years," he said, during opening the Christmas celebration of the 2017 National Ecumene in Pontianak in West Kalimantan Province, on Thursday.
He noted that as many as 171 districts/cities in Indonesia will hold head elections, including West Kalimantan.
He encouraged the people to carry out the democracy party well and choose the best candidates for the regional heads based on their abilities.
"For that, I say once again, this country is a big country, do not sacrifice your unity and brotherhood only for the elections," he stated.
He invited the people to choose the best leaders in their respective regions during the head elections. However, he hoped that the Indonesians had to get along again as brothers of the homeland after the implementation of the elections.
He stated that Indonesia is a big and diverse nation with 714 tribes. As Indonesia has the largest number of tribes in the world, he continued to remind the whole community not to be easily split because of the election.
"Do not reproach, slander, and mock each other during the campaign of the elections. We often forget that we are brothers during campaign. We must nurture and maintain our unity," he remarked.
He also expected the best candidates to deliver the best programs and not to convey issues that could mislead and split the public.
Reported by Rendra Oxtora
(T.M052/A/KR-BSR/A014)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
