Surakarta, C Java (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called on regional leaders in the country on Wednesday to maintain peaceful situation in their regions ahead of elections next year.

"It is the task of leaders in the regions and others to remind the people that the elections will be held once in five years," he stated when closing the meeting of national board members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).

The call was made following a fight between the supporters of two candidates, which led to the death of one of them.

"Every time I meet people in different regions, neighborhoods, and villages, I have always reminded them to not stop speaking to each other just because they have different choices. That is a big mistake," he noted.

"It is the task of the leaders in the regions and others to remind the people that there will always be elections once in five years, whether to elect governors, president, or district heads. It will always happen," he explained.

Subaidi, a villager of Sokobanah sub-distrcit in Sampang on the island of Madura, East Java, died after being shot by Idris on Wednesday (Nov 21), following an argument over their different choices of presidential candidates through a social media.

East Java police spokesman Senior Commissioner Frans Barung confirmed that the incident had been caused by an argument in the social media.

Indonesia will hold parliamentary and presidential elections on April 17, 2019. In the presidential election, Jokowi would seek reelection and compete against former army general Prabowo Subianto, who he defeated in the last election in 2014.

Jokowi has chosen chief cleric Ma`ruf Amin as his running mate, while Subianto has picked young businessman Sandiaga Uno as his running mate.

Reporting by Agus Salim
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi

Reporter: ANTARA
Editor: Bustanuddin
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