TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ruling party PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri’s statement likening the current government to the New Order regime has recently been in the public spotlight. Indonesia's fifth president said she was upset with the current government led by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo because he was seen as acting arbitrarily ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

When met at the Jakarta Industrial Estate Pulogadung (JIEP) in Cakung, East Jakarta, today, Nov. 29, Jokowi refused to respond to Megawati’s statement. “I don't want to give a response,” he said with a smile.

He stressed that the 2024 election must be held peacefully and with joyful smiles. “Compete in ideas, but keep smiling and be happy,” the President remarked.

Previously, Megawati took a swipe at the current government at the National Working Meeting (Rakornas) of volunteer groups supporting Ganjar-Mahfud at the Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Monday, November 27.

She expressed her annoyance that she felt a sense of injustice under the current government, which she said was acting like the authoritarian regime of the New Order.

Earlier reports suggested that the relationship between the PDIP and Jokowi has become strained after the latter announced his eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as a vice-presidential candidate to run with Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming February election, while the former appointed Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud Md as the pair to support in the presidential race.

RIZKI DEWI AYU | IHSAN RELIUBUN | ADIL AL HASAN

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