Jokowi's Banking Palace Raises Millions Of Civil Servants If Prabowo-Gibran Wins

Prabowo Subianto spoke with President Joko Widodo during the inauguration of RSAL Dr. Soekantyo Jahja in Surabaya in October 2023. (Instagram @prabowo)

JAKARTA - Presidential Special Staff Coordinator Ari Dwipayana denied the issue that President Joko Widodo promised to appoint millions of civil servants (PNS) if Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka won the 2024 presidential election.

"So it is not true that there was a promise from the President to regional officials, especially related to the recruitment of civil servants which was then linked to the 2024 General Election," Ari told reporters at the Ministry of State Secretariat Building, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 16, which was confiscated by Antara.

Ari said that the appointment of civil servants was a government policy that had long been designed by the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (Kemenpan RB) to improve services to the community.

"And of course, my friends have followed together that on January 5, the President has publicly announced that in 2024 there will be the recruitment of 2.3 million candidates for State Civil Apparatus throughout the country. So this is something that is open, transparent and part of government policy," he said.

Ari emphasized that during a working visit to the regions, President Jokowi never promised the appointment of civil servants related to the 2024 presidential election. According to him, all Jokowi's work visit activities in the regions are very open and can be monitored by the media.

"His statement to the public was good at handing over social assistance, handing over certificates, meetings could always be covered by media friends and there were no closed talks about it," he explained.

On the other hand, he said that the concept of neutrality for ASN, TNI and Polri has also been regulated in laws regarding administrative sanctions, reprimands and crimes.

"And the President has emphasized several times regarding the neutrality of ASN, TNI and Polri," he said.

Ari said that the ASN recruitment was carried out by the government in 2024 because of the availability of budgets and recruitment needs this year, especially for education and health personnel who are urgently needed at this time.

Furthermore, regarding the viral statement of the Regional Secretary of Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi which stated that Jokowi promised the appointment of CPNS if Prabowo-Gibran won, Ari said this was not true and was being investigated by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Supervisory Body.

"So there is no true promise. If it is true that it is stated that there is a presidential promise related to the recruitment of civil servants associated with winning, that is not true. There is already a corridor, the regional Bawaslu is already working and of course the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Inspector General has carried out its duties related to this," he concluded.