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
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.
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.