Democrat Party Blasts Govt for Critical Street Murals Crackdown

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Democrat Party on Wednesday has fixed its attention to the government response on the variety of street mural criticizing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and questions the President’s statement claiming to appreciate constructive criticism from the public. 

“In reality however, the mural painters are being hunted with the murals erased,” said Democrat Party strategic communication, Herzaky Mahendra Putra, in a statement on August 18. 

He argues that both the government and law enforcers should be wiser in responding to murals criticizing the government and acknowledge that the appearance of these visual expressions are a product of what the public feels amidst the challenging pandemic situation.

Putra argues that the government should see through the critics and look for the seed of the problem that caused some people to express themselves this way, instead of “suppressing or covering it up.”

“The government should reflect on this matter and try to understand the actual condition in the field [which may have motivated] them to express it through murals,” said the Democrat Party member. 

President Jokowi in countless public speeches said he respects criticism as long as it is done in an ethical and in a polite manner. He even acknowledged that constructive criticism is essential in his annual Presidential speech at the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on August 16.

However, his statement seems to differ from how criticism is treated in the field after a number of murals deemed criticizing the government were erased. Police are also hunting down the creators behind the street arts. 

Chief Presidential Staff Moeldoko on Wednesday said criticism must be delivered in a civilized manner and asked the public to not view police’s arrest on one of the mural artists as government repression. 

Read: Viral Jokowi Mural Sparks Police Crackdown; Street Artist Speaks Up

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