TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - DKI Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, dismissed allegations that his ‘blusukan’ style has been costly for the city’s budget. Since his election, Jokowi has been praised by the media and public for his impromptu visits to rural areas or other locations, which made him appear more concerned and hands on about the city’s issues, it has been dubbed ‘blusukan’ style.
In his defense, Jokowi said the operational budget of Rp26 billion (US$ 2,576,210) mentioned by the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) was not used for his impromptu visits.
"No budget is needed for blusukan, you only need your feet to walk," said Jokowi yesterday. He said his blusukan is aimed at monitoring and management control by the DKI Jakarta administration.
The operational budget is used in all locations for coordination, security, order, and special operations.
"Such as fires, floods, or clashes among communities. The funds are for that," he said. Jokowi also denied his impromptu visits were an attempt to bolster his image.
Previously, Fitra criticized the governor’s love of his impromptu visits to villages and rural areas in the city. They accused him of spending too much of the administration’s budget in an attempt to polish his image.
"Maybe the budget for the blusukan is his attempt to shine in 2014 (during the presidential elections), the money is from the people’s taxes, the Jakarta city budget," said Fitra’s director for advocacy and investigation, Uchok Sky Khadafi, on Sunday.
ANGGRITA DESYANI
