Jokowi: Political Interference OK to Ensure Development Sustainability

Hand and chess
Summary

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says he has the right to meddle in politics for the sake of the nation interest. Jokowi argues that his meddling does not violate the constitution. He also says that this step is necessary to ensure development sustainability despite power transition

“I have to meddle in a positive sense, as long as it does not violate the constitution,” Jokowi said after meeting with content creators and media chief editors at the Presidential Palace on Monday night.

After the meeting, Presidential Secretariat's Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media Bey Machmudin said that Jokowi’s meddling was aimed at ensuring the 2024 General Elections would be held safe and sound. Bey said that Jokowi also wanted the next leader to be able to continue the ongoing development.

“The president wants national leaders to be able to oversee and continue strategic policies such as the construction of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), downstream, and clean energy transition,” Bey said.

This statement also sparked various reactions. Democratic Party politician Benny Harman questioned Jokowi’s claim that he considered meddling in presidential nomination matters as a matter of the nation and state interest.

Benny said Jokowi’s statement was wrong because, as head of state, the president should have been neutral. Civil servants of other institutions could use similar excuses if it was in the nation’s interest that the president was allowed to meddle.

“The chief of police, the chief of the Supreme Court, the chief of the Constitutional Court could also use the same reason,” Benny said on Tuesday.

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