Jokowi Talked about Reshuffle in an Angry Tone in front of His Minister

Presiden Joko Widodo dan jajarannya (Foto: Situs Sekretariat Kabinet RI)

JAKARTA - In a video posted on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube account, President Joko Widodo spoke in an angry tone about the reshuffle. He also alluded to the performance of several ministers. They were considered mediocre in the midst of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jokowi said that there are several ministers who work normally as if nothing happened. In fact, in the midst of a health and economic crisis like today, all parties should work outside the ordinary.

"Our actions, our decisions, our policies, the atmosphere must be a crisis atmosphere. Don't consider this as a normal situation. What is this?" Jokowi said in a video shown on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, June 28.

He considered, in times like this all policies should be in accordance with the conditions of the crisis. In a crisis condition, Jokowi said that he is ready to issue a Regulation in lieu of Law (Perppu) and Presidential Regulation (Perpres).

This should also be done by ministers. However, he assessed that several ministers considered this current crisis condition as unimportant.

"Our responsibility to our 267 million people. I see, there are still many of us who are work as nothing happened. I am annoyed. Don't you have any feelings? " he said.

In front of his ministers, Jokowi alluded to several things. First, about. From the report, he saw that there were no special achievements. In fact, he hopes that the massive spending at the ministry will spur the economy in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Health, for example. Jokowi said, the ministry received a budget of IDR 75 trillion. However, only 1.53% has been spent. In fact, the faster they spend the money, the economic trigger will occur.

Jokowi also talked about doctors, specialists, and medical personnel payments. It must be processed immediately. "Expenditures for equipment will soon be issued. This has already been provided with IDR 70 trillion," he said.

The former mayor of Solo also mentioned social aid, which was the responsibility of the Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P Batubara. Jokowi requested that social assistance must have been issued, and must meet the targets set 100%.

He also reminded ministries in the economic field to immediately provide economic stimulus to MSMEs. Because these business people are waiting for a stimulus policy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Don't let them die first, then we help. That's meaningless. It's very dangerous if we feel like nothing happened. It's very dangerous," he said while asking MSMEs, banking, manufacturing, and other industries to be given priority attention. So there will be no massive Termination of Employment (FLE).

"Don't let the layoffs go too far. Even 1 rupiah has not entered our economic stimulus," he added.

Ready to Risk the Political Reputation

President Jokowi said, during a pandemic, all parties in the government should have proceeded extraordinary work and should not make the existing regulations an obstacle. Moreover, he claimed to be ready to make the Perppu as long as it was in the interests of the people and for the country.

"As long as it's for the people, as long as it's for the country, I'm risking my political reputation. Once again, please, we all have to feel this. Don't let anything interfere," he said.

He also claimed to be ready to open up political and government steps. So all of his policies could work to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jokowi admitted that he didn't hesitate to reshuffle or change the cabinet and dissolve institutions that did not work optimally amid these conditions. "I could just dissolve the institution. It could be a reshuffle. I've thought about it. Or for Perppu, which is even more important if necessary," he said.

"It means that I will do extraordinary actions. I ask the ladies and gentlemen to understand what I have said. Hard and speed work is very necessary," he added.

The Cabinet Reshuffle is Getting Closer

Indonesia's Executive Director of the Political Opinion (IPO), Dedi Kurnia Syah, said that President Jokowi's statement indicated several things. He began to despair about the increasingly difficult conditions in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and marked a plan for a cabinet reshuffle.

It's just that according to him, this reshuffle wouldn't be good to be implemented at this time. There are several reasons. First, Jokowi could be considered a failure to give a command to the rhythm of the work of his ministers.

"So the vision and mission of the president aren't well implemented. Instead, some (ministers) are trying to build their own stage," Dedi told VOI, Sunday, June 29.

Second, Jokowi could be considered a failure in choosing and determining the formation of his ministers. "This condition could be true that they were mostly chosen because they have won Jokowi. Not because of their qualities," he said.

A political observer from Al-Azhar Indonesia University, Ujang Komarudin, also agreed that Jokowi showed signs of planning a cabinet reshuffle amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But the reshuffle is for ministers who are not performing well and those who have poor achievements," Ujang said.

He considered, Jokowi currently saw that some of his ministers were not going according to their vision and mission. So, he rebuked them. "The president must be firm with his ministers. The minister is the president's subordinate," he said.

"When the president wants to eat tempe, but the minister wants to eat tofu, this obviously is detrimental to the president," he added.

Ujang assessed that several ministers need to be changed. Including the Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P Batubara, Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim, Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah, and Minister of Finance.

Some time ago, the Indonesian Survey Flow (ASI) conducted a survey related to public evaluation ahead of the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin administration. The survey was held on June 9-12 in 34 provinces. The respondents were interviewed via telephone contact with a questionnaire and used the multistage random sampling method.

1,000 respondents took part in this survey with a margin of error of 3.1% and a confidence level of 95%.

As a result, as many as 75.6% of the public said they agreed if Jokowi reshuffled his cabinet. That number is a combination of 20.5% of respondents who strongly agree and 55.1% of respondents who agree.

The level of public satisfaction with all Jokowi's ministers did not reach 50%. The highest level of satisfaction was achieved by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto with a rate of 43.7%.

"According to public perception, the level of public satisfaction with the performance of the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin cabinet ministers is below 50% on average. The findings of this survey could serve as an evaluation record for President Jokowi to review his aides," said the Director of Arus Survei Indonesia, Ali Ri'fan, in his written statement, Friday, June 19.

While 58% said they were not satisfied with the performance of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Edhy Prabowo. 57% said they were not satisfied with the performance of Minister of Health, Terawan Agus Putranto.

In the third position, 57% of respondents were not satisfied with the performance of Sri Mulyani. This dissatisfaction was also directed at Minister of Religion, Fachrul Razi, and Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari Coal, with a percentage of 54%. Then, as many as 53% of respondents said they were not satisfied with the performance of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Invesment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan