President Joko Widodo will decide on a presidential candidate whom he will endorse for the 2024 general election, and does not plan to seek any top government position himself, said a person who has knowledge of the matter.

Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, 70, is among those being seriously considered by Joko to receive his endorsement, sources told The Straits Times.

“Prabowo will likely announce his running mate by very early 2023,” said one of the sources, who have requested anonymity.

Among the most likely choices for Prabowo’s running mate are State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, 52; East Java governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, 57; and National Awakening party chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, 55.

It is not known when Joko will make public his endorsement for any pairing.

Prabowo, a former election rival turned political ally to Joko, is so far the only one among the three most popular presidential hopefuls who has secured a ticket to run in 2024.

The two others - Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo and Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, both 53 - have yet to get a party ticket.

Ganjar is a rank-and-file member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, while Anies is an independent.

Prabowo ran against Joko in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections before joining the Cabinet in Joko’s second-term administration.

Prabowo’s Gerindra party, which has 13.6% of parliamentary seats, has formed a coalition with the National Awakening party, which has 10.1% of the seats, making them eligible to field a pair of presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Under Indonesia’s election laws, a minimum 20% Parliament seat is required for any single political party or a coalition to secure a ticket for their fielded candidates.

An alternative threshold is that the party or parties garnered 25% of votes in the previous election.

Joko’s second five-year term in office will end in October 2024 and he is not allowed by the Constitution to seek a third term. But technically, he could run for vice-president if he wanted to.

Indonesia has been adopting a direct presidential election system since 2004.

Local media outlets have reported that Joko could stay in the government for five more years by running for the No. 2 post in the 2024 election, if he is nominated.

Comments by politicians about this possibility surfaced after Constitutional Court spokesman Fajar Laksono made a remark this week that went viral on social media that a leader who has served as president for two terms may run for vice-president.

The Constitutional Court then issued a statement on Thursday saying that Fajar’s remarks on this issue do not represent the court’s position.

Responding to this, Joko said: “Such an issue keeps coming back - now (I am eyeing) vice-president. Who is this coming from?”

Joko, 61, first took the top government position in 2014 and was quickly credited for his bold, anti-populist reform of re-channelling very large, inefficient energy subsidies - that kept fuel prices at home very affordable - to productive infrastructure spending such as roads, dams and ports. He was re-elected in 2019.

Indonesia will hold its five-yearly general election on Feb 14, 2024.

Registration for presidential and vice-presidential candidates will open next year between Oct 19 and Nov 25.

Joko, whose ruling coalition currently commands 82% of Parliament, had previously been reported that he probably had plans to extend his presidency into a third term, which would involve an amendment to the Constitution.

 - ANN