"Hopefully, the debate will be crowded," the president told reporters after attending the National Seminar on the Indonesian Economic Outlook here on Friday.
Tonight's debate will be attended by the three VP candidates, namely Muhaimin Iskandar, candidate number 1; Widodo's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, number 2; and Mahfud MD, number 3.
When asked whether he had given Raka any advice before the debate, Widodo said he had not yet seen his son.
"Let the debate go on, (but) I have not met him yet. No advice given too," he stated.
Widodo said he would watch the debate broadcast from his residence.
"Maybe I will watch it at the Jakarta Palace, Bogor Palace, or at my home in Solo," he remarked.
The KPU will hold the second debate of the 2024 election debate series that will be attended by the three vice presidential candidates at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, starting at 7 p.m. local time.
Friday's debate is the first time for the VP candidates after the presidential debate on December 12.
The theme of the VP debate on Friday is economy that includes the people's economy and digital economy, finance, tax, investments, trade, management of the State Budget and Regional Budget, infrastructure, and urban development.
The first vice presidential candidate debate will be hosted by two moderators, namely Alfito Deannova and Liviana Cherlisa. There will be 11 panelists as a question-making team for the candidates.
Meanwhile, the election campaign period is scheduled from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024, while the voting day is on February 14, 2024.
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Translator: Rangga J, Kenzu
Editor: Arie Novarina
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