REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Presidential candidate Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has warned members of his national campaign team to not allow political hoaxes during the 2019 Presidential election campaign. Instead, they were asked to prioritize a battle of ideas to educate the public, Jokowi said after briefing his national campaign team's members here on Monday evening.

"Do not let our spokespersons or influencers exercise political hoaxes. Do not let this happen! I would like to make sure one by one. Do not do that," said Jokowi.

Jokowi is the incumbent president who is struggling to be reelected in next year's presidential race. Along with his running mate KH Ma'ruf Amin, he will run against the pair of Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno. During the briefing session, he said he repeatedly has warned the spokespersons and influencers within his national campaign team to not allow any political hoaxes.

"I repeatedly warned them," he said.

Also read: Black campaign sites should be shut down: Jokowi camp

By emphasizing a battle of ideas and achievements based on track records in election campaigns, Jokowi wanted to educate the people to be both smart and mature in exercising their political rights.

"A battle of ideas, track records, and achievements should be our emphasis. We need to bring our people in that direction. Do not let our political life be flooded with political lies," he said.

The meeting of the Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin pair's national campaign team was attended by top figures, including Erick Thohir, secretary generals of all coalition parties, Deddy Mizwar, Adian Napitupulu, Budiman Sudjatmiko, Nurul Arifin, Hengki Kurniawan, and Sony Tulung.

Realizing that the spread of hoax and slander has more frequently occurred ahead of the regional and presidential elections, Jokowi has also repeatedly urged community members to preserve the nation's unity in diversity.

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