Jokowi Says He Has Only "Can Do Spirit"

Sukabumi, West Java, March 28 (ANTARA News) - Presidential candidate of opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Joko Widodo said he relies on people support rather than on the strength of money in the campaign in the run up to the presidential election in July. "The people want a change, therefore, "I choose to come to the people rather than spending a lot of money campaigning," Jokowi as he is better known he said . Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was a former president and is the chairwoman of PDI-P holding the mandate to name a presidential candidate, was under pressure to name the Jakarta governor presidential candidate, although many believed she still had the ambition to contest the presidency. Jokowi had received strong popular support even before he was named a candidate and showed no ambition to be one. He said he was aware that a president would have a heavy task and formidable challenges to face. "That was why I did not celebrate and was not entirely happy when named a presidential candidate," he said addressing supporters and sympathizers here on Thursday night. Jokowi announced his presidential candidacy informally kissing the country`s Red and White on March 14 in Marunda, North Jakarta when attending a ceremony in his position as Jakarta governor. "The declaration is very modest. I was alone without big shot. There was only me and the Red and White. That was because I believe in my coalition with the people," he said. "I have nothing to give you but the spirit. Others may have trillions of rupiahs to spend on big ads every night on TV. Until now we have no such thing. No billboard has been put up," he said here on Thursday night. However, he expressed confident he would win the presidency with the support of the masses. "Don`t expect to see Jokowi a handsome and dashing man. I am just like this, no money," he said. He told the PDI-P sympathizers that it was important for the party to garner as many votes as possible in the legislative election to win more seats at the House of Representatives. The country will hold legislative elections next month to be followed later by the presidential election on July 9, 2014.