Jokowi's 3rd Period Resounds, This Time Voiced By Thousands Of Village Heads At The Opening Of The APDESI National Gathering

President Jokowi attends the opening of the Apdesi national gathering at Istora Senayan, Jakarta/screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat Youtube

JAKARTA - Village heads who are members of the All-Indonesian Association of Village Governments (Apdesi) plan to declare support for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to serve three terms.

The General Chairperson of Apdesi Surtawijaya stated that this declaration would actually be made today when Jokowi attended the opening of the Apdesi national gathering at Istora Senayan, Jakarta. However, the declaration was not carried out because it was banned by many parties.

"After Eid, we made a declaration. Friends, this is not a story, this is a fact," Surtawijaya told reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday, March 29.

"I wanted it today, it was forbidden by everyone," he added.

Surtawijaya said he and other regional heads agreed to support Jokowi to serve for three terms. Because, Jokowi is considered to care about the village and is considered to be able to bring more goodness.

He also emphasized that no one directed village heads to voice support for Jokowi to increase his term of office for one term. Surtawijaya stated that a village head cannot be forced to say something.

"Nothing. Where is the village head being directed? We don't want to have business like that but it's pure. Pure like this," he said.

Surtawijaya also said this support had nothing to do with the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

In fact, he admitted, one of the parties that prevented Apdesi from making a declaration of support for President Jokowi for three terms today was Luhut.

"There is no (Luhut's direction, ed). He forbade it instead. It's forbidden to meet him, you don't tell stories like that. I don't dare to speak.

In the opening ceremony of the Apdesi gathering, a village head from Southeast Aceh Province, Muslim, had mentioned directly in front of President Jokowi that he supported President Jokowi for three terms.

Initially, Luhut, who was also present at the event, gave time for Apdesi representatives to express their aspirations.

To Luhut, Muslim said that there was a Gunung Leuser National Park in his area. He said that before President Joko Widodo or Jokowi took office, farmers were often arrested there.

In addition, the plants in the National Park are also often cut down. However, that condition changed after Jokowi officially became President in 2014.

After conveying his aspirations, Muslim believes Luhut and Jokowi can listen to his input. He then shouted Jokowi three terms.

"I'm sure you can grant it and the president can grant it. Jokowi for 3 terms. Do you agree?," he said.

Hearing this, the participants from Apdesi also answered in unison. "Agree!" shouted the other participants.