Prabowo Accuses Govt`s Rohingya Aid Attempt on Image Building

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra Chairman Prabowo recently said that the Rohingya aid sent by Indonesian government was just an attempt on image building. Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres) member Sidarto Danusubroto responded to the statement issued by Prabowo.

“Please set the accusations aside, just let him (President Jokowi) work,” said Sidarto at the Presidential Advisory Board headquarters on Monday, September 18.

Sidarto Danusubroto said that he knows President Jokowi as a person that prioritizes the work and tasks given to him. He also considers Jokowi as a simplistic man that maintains to be distant from negative matters.

Read: Indonesia Ready to Help Bangladesh on Rohingya Refugees

“[President Jokowi] was appointed by the people to work for five years. We must understand that there has to be constitutional patience. Don’t hastily brand him with [unclear accusations],” said Sidarto, who is also a PDI-P politician.

During a rally in support of the people of Rohingya in Jakarta, Prabowo publicly said that the government's aid that was recently sent to the refugee centers at Cox Bazaar, Bangladesh was nothing more than an attempt on image building.

Prabowo claims that Indonesia has the ability and potential to permanently end the ethnic cleansing against the people of Rohingya.

AMIRULLAH SUHADA | AHMAD FAIZ