Rift Within Jokowi's Volunteers
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12 September 2022 10:00 WIB
Another of Jokowi’s volunteer bases, Merah Putih Solidarity, has echoed similar views. The chairperson, Silfester Matutina, expressed disagreement against the presidential term extension. “This country is still facing crises. People are still struggling. Why need to act out such practical politics?” he said.
Silfester acknowledged the existence of some Jokowi volunteers who crave on keeping the discourse alive. “Instead of [pushing for] a three presidential term, we actually hope the current government coalition is solid enough to produce a presidential candidate that fits what the people want,” he added.
He argued that the internal coalition within the government is currently strong enough. In order to win the 2024 general election, he explained, President Jokowi just needs to strengthen the already established coalition to prevent any disunity that is currently showing.
President Jokowi, he noted, only needs to calculate how to distribute even shares for positions such as presidential and vice presidential candidates and state ministers to political parties in the coalition, “Instead of a rift, he needs only to distribute positions for state ministers,” Silfester argued.
The Merah Putih Solidarity, he explained, has consolidated with a number of party leaders to reject the idea of Jokowi's three-term. According to Silfester, solidifying the current government coalition ranks is better than forcing the idea of adding another presidential term. "We have built a commitment so that this discourse will end immediately," said the person in charge of a movement to stay true to the constitution touted ‘Gerakan Setia Tegak Lurus 2024 Ikut Komando Jokowi’ or the movement to stay faithful with 2024 under Jokowi's command.
A similar stand was voiced by the Jokowi National Secretariate (Seknas Jokowi), where the chairperson Rambun Tjajo expressed urgency to put an end to the idea that has been voiced by other Jokowi volunteers. He said that Seknas believes a volunteer group must abide by the constitution that limits a president’s term to two terms. “It does not have a legal basis if it is unconstitutional,” he said.
Rambun said that instead of arguing about the controversial discourse on the presidential extension term, Jokowi’s volunteers should create more productive activities. Especially in current times where the government is focused on solving problems faced by the Indonesian population caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “We refuse to join that debate as it is not productive and useless.”
Projo chairperson Budie Arie Setiadi acknowledged the fact that the constitution limits a president’s time in office to two terms. However, he believes the support currently shown for Jokowi to run again as a presidential candidate is not prohibited. He claimed that the discourse for the extended presidential term is a product of listening to what the general population aspires to. “Support for Jokowi’s third term can be heard everywhere,” said Budie, whom Jokowi has lined up to become the Deputy Minister of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration.
IMAM HAMDI | KORAN TEMPO
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