Fadli Zon Criticizes Jokowi's Government: There Is A Tendency To Return To Authoritarianism

Fadli Zon (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Fadli Zon, said that President Joko Widodo's leadership tends to be authoritarian. This assumption arose because Fadli saw the many arrests of demonstrators and people suspected of being rioters during demonstrations.

"There is a tendency for us to return to authoritarianism. Now, the handling of recent demonstrations has been extraordinary. We haven't just demonstrated yet, been prevented or arrested," said Fadli in a virtual discussion, Thursday, October 22.

Fadli considers that the consolidation of power is not only visible in formal power, but also in "coalition" with the oligarchic system.

This DPR member also criticized the police's violence against demonstrators. In fact, in dealing with society, the police must protect civilian interests.

"People want to just demonstrate being arrested and arrested. This is funny in my opinion, as if we are a police state. No way, that's how the police approach must be civilian," he said.

Fadli also protested about the arrest of a number of coalition figures for the Action to Save Indonesia (US) such as Syahganda Nainggolan, Anton Permana, Jumhur Hidayat, Juliana, Devi, Khairi Amri, Wahyu Rasari Putri.

In fact, according to Fadli, the movement carried out by US is the right of the people in democracy by criticizing the current government system.

"The treatment of Syahganda, towards Jumhur, in my opinion, is very outrageous. They were picked up like terrorists, as if democracy is a criminal activity," he said.

"This is what I think needs to be corrected. In all ages, (arrests) seem to have always existed. But, lately it shouldn't happen because we always glorify that this is the third largest democratic country in the world," said Fadli.