"We want all parties to be merry during the election campaigns because the democracy that we are fighting for is to make all people prosper instead of being miserable," Jokowi said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Presidential candidate Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, has expressed hope that all parties will be merry during the presidential election campaigns between June 4 and July 5, 2014.

"We want all parties to be merry during the election campaigns because the democracy that we are fighting for is to make all people prosper instead of being miserable," Jokowi stated during the Declaration of Integrated and Peaceful Election here on Tuesday evening.

He was also optimistic that the upcoming July 9, 2014, presidential election will be a great success without frauds, black campaigns, violence, and intimidation.

"The presidential election must be tinged with political excitement, instead of fear," Jokowi remarked, adding that along with his running mate Jusuf Kalla, they are ready to implement the peoples mandate if elected as president and vice president.

At the Bidakara Hotel, on Tuesday evening, the two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates, Prabowo-Hatta and Jokowi-JK, pledged to conduct peaceful campaigns with integrity.

The two pairs read the declaration organized by the General Election Commission (KPU) at the hotel in South Jakarta.

"We, Indonesian presidential and vice presidential candidates, participants of the presidential and vice presidential election 2014 along with campaign teams and supporters in the spirit of unity and brotherhood, promise to all Indonesian people and state our readiness to conduct a peaceful election with integrity for the sake of Indonesias progress and preservation of unity of the Unitary State of Indonesia based on Pancasila (state ideology) and the 1945 Constitution," they noted.

After reading the declaration, the presidential and vice presidential candidates signed the document.

KPU official Hadar Nafis Gumay hoped that the participants of the presidential election will judiciously follow the content of the declaration.

"We hope that all campaign participants will adhere to the existing rules, such as the theme of the declaration, which is peaceful, clean, and democratic. So, do not insult, blame each other, or force your will on others," Hadar emphasized.

After the declaration session, KPK official Bambang Widjojanto handed over a "white book" containing the commitment to corruption eradication to the candidates. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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