"I believe volunteers grouped in Projo (Pro-Jokowi) are not cardboard ones but are genuine volunteers who have militancy and a high spirit to help improve the country," he said at the 4th national working meeting of Projo volunteers at Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel.
Jokowi, as the president is also popularly called, attended the meeting to give directives which were given behind closed doors. Jokowi has chosen chief cleric KH Ma`ruf Amin as his running mate.
"(I gave the directives) to boost their spirit so they would have more militancy and really wish to contribute to the country," he said.
The meeting since Saturday has heard directives from a number of other figures including the chief of Jokowi-Ma`ruf Amin campaign team, Erick Thohir and campaign team deputy chairman Moeldoko.
"From the start we have always brought optimism and presented what we have achieved," he said.
Jokowi believed the presidential election in 2019 would be a contest about ideas and a debate on sesitive issues of racial, religious and tribal differences (sara issues).
" i think it must indeed be about contest of programs, ideas or views. I think it should make peopld more mature in the political field," he said.
Regarding the proposal on the use of English in the presidential debate Jokowi said "we are Indonesians. As a nation we have a national language which is Indonesian language."
The proposal had come from Yandri Susanto, an executive board membet of the National Mandate Party (PAN) which is one of the four parties supporting Jokowi`s rival Prabowo Subianto, who is a former army general.
Prabowo with business man Sandiaga Uno as his running mate have expressed disagreement over the idea.
Reporting by Desca Lidya Natalia
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Yosep Hariyadi
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
