TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko `Jokowi` Widodo said the public announcement showing the government`s achievement at cinemas was part of the Communication and Informatics Ministry`s job.

Referring to the law, he added, the government was obliged to enlighten the society regarding its current and upcoming projects.

According to Jokowi, the ministry’s job was done since the New Order Era. “Years ago, it was the Information Ministry that informed [the public],” said the President on Friday, September 14, after opening the 36th Congress of Indonesian Christian Students Movement at Green Forest Hotel, Bogor.

Read: Bawaslu Comments on Jokowi Ads in Cinema

Jokowi refused the allegations thrown by the opposition party that saying the advertisement was part of his political campaign. He underlined the government has long conducted the publications.

“The publication has been advertised since three to four years ago either via YouTube or TV, and that’s the ministry’s job as mandated by law,” the president explained.

Jokowi went on to say that the public should be exposed to widen information related to the government’s accomplishments.

Earlier, the public service commercial displaying the government's dam infrastructure projects in movie theaters was widely discussed on social media. The advertisement features President Jokowi followed by a quote and a hashtag MENUJUINDONESIAMAJU (Towards Developed Indonesia).

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI