JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo reassured the public on Friday that his cabinet was functioning normally, despite reports of discontent among his ministers.
“The cabinet has no problem,” Jokowi, as the president is known, told reporters when asked about unease in the cabinet, adding it was normal and democratic to have differences of opinion.
Indonesia is set to hold presidential and legislative elections on Feb. 14.
Local media outlets have reported some discontent in Jokowi’s cabinet following public criticism leveled at the president about perceived political interference and lack of neutrality in his tacit backing of leading candidate, Prabowo Subianto, his defence minister.
Jokowi has defended himself by saying that presidents are allowed to support candidates.
Prabowo is running alongside Jokowi’s son as his running mate.
While Jokowi has not explicitly endorsed any of the three candidates, he has made highly publicised appearances with Prabowo.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Martin Petty)
