TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo reiterated on Saturday that he would crush PKI (defunct communist party) immediately if it reemerged.
"Let us know (if there is any sign of it), and we will 'hit' it," he said at the Ramadan 1438 H Study event held by the East Java regional chapter of Islamic organization Muhammadiyah at Muhammadiyah University in Malang, East Java.
Jokowi, as the president is called, stated that there have been a lot of rumors spreading so far on the reemergence of PKI.
"The question is where is it?. It is already clearly (stated) in our constitution, MPR (Peoples Consultative Assembly) Decree that PKI, communism is banned in Indonesia," he noted.
Jokowi remarked that rumors had been spread on the reemergence of PKI and that he had been protecting it.
"They were made up. They have also been directed to me as if I have protected it. Where on earth have I protected it," he stated.
Jokowi explained that PKI was dissolved while he was three years old. "This is illogical. They then related it to my parents," he revealed.
He pointed out that in the current era of openness, no information may be hidden. "It is easy to check them all. Muhammadiyah has data and so does Solo (birthplace of Jokowi). Just check where and in which village my parents and grandparents lived. Hence, It would be easy to do it in the current era of openness," he asserted.
Jokowi noted that he was actually reluctant to respond to the rumors, "But since now I have the opportunity, I would speak up. This (event) is a big forum," he explained.
ANTARA
