Pasuruan, E Java (ANTARA News) - The national campaign team of the Joko Widodo-Ma`ruf Amin pair has hinted at the readiness of the incumbent president and his running mate to face their contenders in an open presidential debate, scheduled Feb 17.

The team`s secretary, Hasto Kristiyanto, stated here on Saturday that his camp will not file an objection if the General Election Commission (KPU) decided to not provide the two pairs with a list of questions in advance.

In the first round of presidential debate, the KPU provided the pairs of Widodo-Amin and Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno with a list of questions that would appear during the debate that was convened in Jakarta on Jan 17.

Antara noted that in the aftermath of the two pairs` performance in their first debate, several political analysts and community members criticized the KPU over the furnished list of questions, though it was aimed at ensuring a better-quality debate.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of his visit to the East Java city of Pasuruan, Kristiyanto said the Widodo-Amin pair had been accustomed to speaking about the people`s problems.

"Mr Jokowi (Joko Widodo`s popular nickname) and Kyai Ma`ruf Amin are the figures, who do not face any difficulty in speaking about the people`s problems, including during the presidential debate," he remarked.

During the first round of presidential debates, the two pairs of Indonesian presidential and vice presidential candidates debated over the issues of law, human rights, corruption, and terrorism.

The KPU has prepared five rounds of presidential debates ahead of the convening of the 2019 Presidential Election on Apr 17 that will have been broadcast live by several TV channels.

As revealed in the first round, the rundown of the presidential and vice presidential debates comprised six segments, including delivering each pair`s vision and mission.

The first segment was about the delivery of each pair`s vision and mission. The second and third segments contain responses to open questions, specifically the questions prepared by the panelists.

In the fourth and fifth segments, the two pairs of the presidential and vice presidential candidates will raise questions and respond to queries they received in a debate format.

In the sixth segment, the KPU will ask each of the pairs to make a closing statement, KPU Chairman Arief Budiman explained.

Less than four months from now, Indonesia will have a new pair of president and vice president as a result of the 2019 Presidential Election scheduled on Apr 17.

The KPU has forecast that some 192 million eligible voters will participate in this democratic process, which is expected to go fairly, democratically, and peacefully.

The eligible voters will not merely determine the fate of the Widodo-Amin pair as well as Subianto-Uno but will also vote for legislators at the district/city, provincial, and national levels.

Reporting by Riza Harahap, Rahmad Nasution

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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