Former KPK Spokesman Febri Diansyah: Fahri Hamzah Is Suitable To Be Mr. Jokowi's Spokesman

JAKARTA - Former Spokesperson for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Febri Diansyah said Deputy Chairperson of the Gelora Party Fahri Hamzah is suitable to be the spokesman for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). The position of spokesman for the president was left by Fadjroel Rachman who served as ambassador.

This was conveyed through his Twitter account @febridiansyah in response to Fahri's statement which said that Fadjroel's replacement must be a figure who has a role or is not 'cheeky'.

"I think @Fahrihamzah is suitable to be Pak Jokowi's spokesman, so it's not a joke like what is conveyed here," said Febri as quoted from his tweet, Monday, October 25.

Previously, the position of spokesperson was vacant because Fadjroel had been appointed the Indonesian Ambassador to Kazakhstan. He was sworn in this morning at the State Palace, Jakarta.

Regarding the vacancy, Fahri Hamzah assessed that this position could be held concurrently by the Cabinet Secretary Minister (Menseskab) Pramono Anung. This is important because the position must have access to participate in cabinet meetings.

"I expect the Minister of Cabinet to serve as spokesman. Because it should be, the spokesman must have access to cabinet meetings," said Fahri to reporters.

He said it was important because Fahri felt that so far the Presidential Spokesman did not have access to participate in cabinet meetings. So, they tend to talk after reading the news.

"Then he looked for the news himself on the internet, what was he doing, then he just said that," said the politician.

Fahri believes that the spokesperson should have a place in the cabinet meeting. In fact, he compared it to the United States where the spokesman had a ministerial-level position.

Therefore, Fahri asked that the position should not be filled by random people. "The spokesman must be present at the cabinet meeting. That's why in the United States, the spokesman is at the ministerial level, the Press Secretary, right. That should be the case," he said.

"Yes, also don't put low-key figures, they must be really solid, so that the president is helped in disseminating the government's ideas," concluded Fahri.