Jokowi And The Mystery Of The Reshuffle On Wednesday Pon

President Jokowi delivered his remarks at the plenary cabinet meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (26/2/2024). (Between/Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga)

JAKARTA Wednesday, February 21, 2024, President Joko Widodo reshuffled or reshuffled the cabinet. On that day, Jokowi inaugurated the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) as Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Defense Agency. For the umpteenth time, Jokowi made a big decision on Wednesday Pon according to the Javanese calendar.

AHY entered Jokowi's cabinet replacing Marshal TNI (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto who will shift as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, replacing Mahfud MD.

What is interesting in this change is not only about the fact that Jokowi's cabinet will end in October, but also the election time for the inauguration which falls again on Wednesday Pon in the Java calendar.

It is common knowledge that Wednesday Pon is called a sacred day for Jokowi. During almost two periods of occupying the number one seat in Indonesia, the former mayor of Solo often chose Wednesday Pon to announce important decisions, such as cabinet reshuffles.

Citing a number of sources, since serving as president in 2014 until now, Jokowi announced a reshufflekabinet on Wednesday nine times out of a total of ten cabinet reshuffles he has made.

In the first period, 2014-2019, Jokowi carried out a total of four cabinet reshuffles. Twice the reshuffle was carried out on Wednesday Pon, namely on August 12, 2015 and July 27, 2016.

Jokowi dismantled this cabinet structure again on January 17, 2018, but this time it fell on Pahing Wednesday according to the Javanese calendar. A few months later, on August 15, 2018, Jokowi again announced a cabinet reshuffle. At that time the reshuffle fell on Pahing Wednesday.

In the second period, Jokowi had six kalireshuffles, before bringing AHY into his cabinet. Of the six reshuffles, five of them were carried out on Wednesday, including one Wednesday Pon, and only once on Monday.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta first reshuffled on December 23, 2020. In the Java calendar, the date falls on Wednesday Pon. Then on April 28, 2021, which coincided with Wage Jokowi's Wednesday, reshuffled his cabinet.

The third reshuffle occurred on June 15, 2022, which falls on Pahing Wednesday according to the Javanese calendar. Then on September 7 Jokowi announced the next reshuffle, and this coincided with Legi Wednesday.

He reshuffled his cabinet on July 17, 2023, but different from before, this time it coincided with Wage Monday. Finally, Jokowi chose October 25, 2023 which fell on Wednesday Wage to reshuffle.

Regarding Wednesday Pon, which is known as Jokowi's favorite day to reshuffle the cabinet, the PDIP Secretary General, Hasto Kristiyanto, mentioned in January 2023.

At that time the cabinet reshuffle issue was intense ahead of the 2024 political year. However, Hasto emphasized that a cabinet reshuffle could only occur at the will of the president.

Regarding February 1, which coincided with Wednesday Pon, it was said that Jokowi would choose to reshuffle the cabinet even though it didn't happen in the end. However, Hasto did not deny that the various moments that occurred on that day and often contained something special.

"In the sense that inner awareness arises in making strategic decisions. Everyone has that preference," he said.

Investigate a calibaration, there is a possibility that Jokowi has his own reasons why he often chooses Wednesday, especially Wednesday Pon, for a reshufflekabinet. This is because he was born on Wednesday, June 21, 1961. Or maybe, this is the day chosen or suggested by his elders.

In Jokowi's case, there is a possibility that he hopes that the ministers who are elected will really help the running of the government. According to Javanese tradition, wetons or birthdays are often associated with positive things.

The Javanese tribe is not only famous as the largest tribe in Indonesia, but also rich in customs and culture. One of them is a weton, which is considered important in various aspects of people's lives.

In Javanese, weton means birthday. Javanese Weton is also calculated by combining days in a week with five Javanese market days. One day a week is the day we know now, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Meanwhile, there are five Javanese market days, namely Pahing, Wage, Kliwon, Pon and Legi.

Until now, wetons are still considered an important part of Javanese people's lives. They use wetons for various purposes, such as weddings, building houses, moving houses, holding congratulations, and so on. But the most popular need is for marriage.