Presidential candidates Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto spar over defence policy as Indonesia vote nears

President Widodo touted technology as key to protecting the country, while challenger Subianto, a former general, pledged to boost the defence budget

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People watching the debate on television at a food stall in Jakarta on March 30, 2019. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 2:11pm, 31 Mar 2019Updated: 10:07pm, 31 Mar 2019

Indonesian presidential candidates clashed over the nation’s low defence budget and foreign policy with the world’s third-largest democracy set to go to polls in less than three weeks.

Prabowo Subianto, who’s challenging incumbent Joko Widodo in a rematch of the 2014 elections, said he would significantly boost defence spending to better prepare the nation’s armed forces against any external threats.

People watching the debate on television. Photo: Bloomberg

Widodo, known as Jokowi, pitched for bolstering the technical capability of the forces, saying future wars would be fought on the strength of technology.

The two candidates also differed on their policy approach to state control of sectors such as ports, airports and natural resources at the fourth presidential debate organised by the General Elections Commission in Jakarta on Saturday.

Subianto trails Widodo by double digit points in most opinion polls and is trying to narrow the gap in the final days of the campaigning before the April 17 vote.

While the debate was on defence, security and international relations, both the contestants steered clear of dragging Chinese investment and incarceration of Muslims in Uygur into the debate, even as they discussed Indonesia’s role in putting pressure on Myanmar in dealing with the exodus of Muslims from Rakhine state.