Moeldoko: We Are Easterners, So If We Criticize Something Civilized

Moeldoko/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said President Joko Widodo had never been bothered by criticisms submitted by the public. But Moeldoko reminded that criticism must be delivered in a civilized and courteous manner.

"The president is very open, never bothers with criticism, but he always inserts a beautiful sentence, we easterners have customs. So if you want to criticize civilized people, it's etiquette", Moeldoko told reporters in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 18.

He said the government has never been anti-critic. However, he asked the public to pay more attention to how criticism is often conveyed carelessly.

"The measure of our culture should be put forward, not only talking about anti-criticism, anti-criticism. But try to look at ways to criticize it", said the former TNI Commander.

Moeldoko also believes that many parties have recently equated criticism with slander, even though these two things are different. In addition, he also regretted that many figures actually made things worse when there was the criticism leveled at the government.

"This often happens to us and many of our leaders who do not provide education to them and instead get involved in it to make the situation worse. Don't be like that", he said.

In addition, Moeldoko also asked all parties to regard President Jokowi as an old man who should be respected by not speaking carelessly. "Do not carelessly state something in the form of a sentence or the form of an image", said Moeldoko.

"Don't apologize after that. What is this nation? Doing something after that there is action and then apologizing. A good nation should be a nation that thinks before acting", he added.

The community, continued Moeldoko, was asked not to directly accuse the police of being repressive towards those suspected of spreading slander or making trouble. Because it could be, the call was done to foster.

"It could be (called, red) invited for coffee first, fostered, and so on so as not to do things that are not good. So do not justify repression and so on", he concluded.