President: I Follow the Constitution
Activists express their support for national unity on Jalan Pahlawan in Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday (17/5).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has emphasized that he was elected by the people based on the Constitution and that he will stick to the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees freedom of association and assembly. However, if any organization acts in opposition to the Constitution, it will be dealt with accordingly, he said.
President Jokowi made the statements in a meeting with chief editors of mass media at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/5). The President was accompanied by Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno and Special Staff of State Secretary Ari Dwipayana.
At the start of the one-hour meeting, the President talked about economic growth and his efforts to develop infrastructure. "All infrastructure development is for the people," he said.
The President then asserted that organizations clearly contradicting the Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) cannot be ignored.
The President\'s tone changed slightly when he talked about law enforcement. He reiterated that the Constitution guaranteed freedom of association and assembly. However, all must act in line with the Constitution, he said. "Those who are against the Constitution will be clobbered. If the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) shows up, just take them down. The decree of the People\'s Consultative Assembly (MPR) is clear about that," the President said, adding that the MPR Decree No. XV/MPR/1966 on the Dissolution of the PKI still needed to be enforced.
The President admitted that he was frustrated about being linked to the PKI. "When the PKI was disbanded, I was four years old. My birth was clear. My parents are clear. Please check. Things like this just waste energy," said the President, who was born on June 21, 1961.
According to the President, dynamics akin to the recent political situation could develop during the 2019 general election and be conducted by those in power or those whose business interests conflict with his administration’s policies.
Assertive
The statement to deal with organizations that are against the Constitution was disclosed by the President one day after he met with interfaith leaders. In the meeting, hewas said to have ordered the National Police chief and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander to take strict action against anyone who threatened the unity of the nation.
The phrase “clobber” was once used by President Soeharto on September 13, 1989, to a number of chief editors of mass media who accompanied his visit to Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.
Political Communication lecturer of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Gun Gun Heryanto said that the word "clobber" was chosen because it gave off more power than other words, such as law enforcement. "Pak Jokowi\'s communication style is usually spontaneous, but in this context I see the choice of the word as intentional. With the word "clobber," people associate it with the words of Pak Harto (President Soeharto), on cracking down," he said.
According to the chairman of the Golkar Party’s faction in the MPR, Rambe Kamarul Zaman,the President had reached somewhat of a boiling point when he used the term "clobber”. The President\'s statement was a special message against the many allegations associating him with communism. "It is just a matter of how the government can be consistent and non-discriminatory toward the organizations. I think political opponents will understand. He is the President," he said.
Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the recent sociopolitical dynamics needed to be addressed with firmness. "All actions to divide the NKRI have to be closely monitored. The government must be firm. The firm attitude should be on all parties that are against the Pancasila," Dasco said.
Gaps
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday that the recent political dynamics were caused by economic disparities and that, related to that, the government has continued to pursue economic equitable distribution. However, the results cannot be obtained in a short time. Indonesia\'s Gini ratio shows improvement. In 2015 the Gini index was 0.400; the next year it improved to 0.394.
Amid the government\'s efforts to seek equitable distribution, Tito added, there are those who take advantage of existing economic disparities to break down the unity of the nation; a number of people who have political and economic power manipulate democracy for their benefits.
East Java Governor Soekarwo declared readiness to carry out the order of the President to crack down on anyone who threatens the unity and integrity of the NKRI. This was stated by Soekarwo after meeting with East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Machfud Arifin, Commander of Kodam V Brawijaya Military District Maj. Gen. Kustanto Widiatmoko and Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the East Java Prosecutor’s Office Rudi Prabowo.
"We stand by the President\'s order to guard the four pillars of the nation, namely the Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, the NKRI and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Whoever wants to disrupt the unity and integrity will be dealt with firmly according to the existing laws," he said.
Banten Governor Wahidin Halim also expressed support for the President\'s move to crack down on those who disrupt unity and brotherhood. "As the Governor of Banten, I support the President\'s policy," he said.
Meanwhile, a number of figures of interfaith circles, youth groups and mass organizations, among others, in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Wednesday signed a peace declaration. The event was attended, among others, by Speaker of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Oerman Sapta, West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, West Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Erwin Triwanto and Commander of KodamXII/Tanjungpura Military District Maj. Gen. Andika Perkasa.
Chairman of the West Kalimantan Forum of Religious Harmony Wajidi Sayadi said that the declaration was created to prevent potential conflicts, which could cause losses to society.
Universities
In Jakarta, Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Mohammad Nasir asked university leadership to identify the knot of radicalism in campus activities. If found, immediate steps must be taken to overcome them, he said.
"I ask the universities to report activities thatcould potentially breed radicalism," said Nasir at a meeting with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto on Wednesday. The event was attended by leaders of universities and coordinators of private universities throughout Indonesia.
Wiranto asserted that the country was facing serious problems, one of which includes the Islamic State movement, which has altered its strategies by sending trained followers to spread their ideology in a number of countries, including Indonesia. "The problem becomes complex with the rise of social media. The public is easily drawn toward hatred, division. We have to be aware of this and anticipate it," he said.
Wiranto asked the university leadership to ensure that students do not overreact to the government\'s decision to take legal steps to dissolve Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI).
"We agree with the firm action to dissolve the HTI. However, what is also needed among the university leadership is an aligned view on radicalism, which threatens the NKRI by enabling them to conduct their activities on campuses," said the rector of Sebelas Maret University of Surakarta, Ravik Karsidi.
Nasir said he was still waiting for further regulations from the government regarding steps universities should take following the decision to dissolve HTI. "We prohibit the organization and its movement to enter campuses. However, seminars and discussions on the HTI are allowed for educational purposes," said Nasir.
(NDY/AGE/ESA/GAL/NIK/ FRN/ESA/NSA/ELN/BAY/REN/AIN/BDM)
