REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is ready to face the second round of presidential debate Sunday evening, his running mate Hatta Rajasa said.
"Prabowo has made preparations for the debate on the country's economy and people's prosperity. We are very ready for that," Hatta said after attending Alhabib Ali Alhabsyi's religious propagation assembly at the Kwiting Islamic Center, Central Jakarta, on Sunday morning.
Hatta said he and Prabowo had a special discussion to face the presidential debate which would take place Sunday evening.
"I continue to have discussions with Mr Prabowo regarding the materials which will be taken up during the debate," he added.
He said that he also discussed and evaluated the Prabowo-Hatta presidential candidate pair's performance during the first round presidential candidate last Monday evening.
"Yes, of course we always make evaluation on our activities like campaigns so that we can make improvement," Hatta said.
Indonesia will organize a free and democratic presidential election on July 9, 2014, which will be contested by only two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla.
Prabowo Subianto is a retired military general and the chairman of Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement) Party, while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Jokowi is Jakarta's Governor and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), and his running mate, Jusuf Kalla (JK), is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.
The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP), the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democrats Party (Nasdem) established by Surya Paloh, who owns Metro TV and the Media Indonesia newspaper.
The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Moon and Star Party (PBB), and the Golkar Party, whose current chairman is Aburizal Bakrie, the owner of TV One.