Jokowi's Anger At The Ministers Regarding Imports Is Considered As Frustration

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo's anger and irritation towards ministers who are still carrying out the policy of importing goods has become a public question. The reason is that import activities by the government have occurred since he took office in the first term, but the new president issued his anger.

Indostrategic Executive Director, Akhmad Khoirul Umam, assessed that the anger was Jokowi's frustration because his cabinet could not translate what he wanted. It is known, President Jokowi once encouraged to use and love domestic products.

"Jokowi is frustrated with his government because it doesn't match his vision," Umam said in a statement, Monday, March 28.

Umam said that because his assistants were unable to carry out the vision, the large amount of the state budget for goods spending was not able to produce a multiplier effect. Instead, he said, what happened was that only the imported mafia made a profit.

"Those who benefit are only the mafia for the procurement of imported goods, which generally consist of government officials, politicians and businessmen," said the Paramadina University lecturer.

Umam suspects that the import mafia practice is likely to have happened a long time ago. Including, in the construction of infrastructure projects that cost money and huge debt. Umam added, the opening of the import mafia faucet strengthened because during the 7 years of Jokowi's administration before the pandemic, economic growth was only stuck at 5 percent per year. "This condition is very far from what it promised. Jokowi's politics during the presidential election stated that economic growth could reach 7-8 percent," he concluded.

Previously, President Joko Widodo was annoyed because government agencies were still spending the budget on imported products. In fact, domestic Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can still produce goods needed by agencies.

Jokowi also openly quipped at the Minister of Health and the Minister of Agriculture who are still fond of importing goods, even though they are produced domestically.