Jokowi 'Sniffs' His Minister Who Was Silent When Pertamax And Cooking Oil Rise: Dong Tells The People

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) poked fun at his ministers who seemed silent and did not give an explanation about the increase in the price of cooking oil and Pertamax fuel oil (BBM).

This was conveyed by President Jokowi when opening the Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace, Jakarta. He considered that the ministers who were in charge of these two matters should provide an explanation to the public.

"There is no statement, there is no communication, the price of cooking oil has been four months without any explanation, why this happened, secondly, Pertamax, the minister also did not give any explanation about this. Be careful," said Jokowi as quoted by Antara. aired on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Wednesday, April 6.

Jokowi reminded that if there is a policy to increase the price of certain commodities, the ministers should be able to explain the reasons to the public. This is because the former governor of DKI Jakarta does not want the government to accuse the public of not working at all.

"Why Pertamax (up, ed), please tell the people. We have empathy like that. (This, ed) there is no (explanation, ed). There is nothing related to energy," he said.

"That's called having a high sense of crisis," added Jokowi. Furthermore, Jokowi said that the increase in the price of basic commodities was inevitable. Moreover, the global economy is currently in turmoil and causing inflation in various countries, not only in Indonesia.

One of the countries that is said to be experiencing inflation is the United States, which now reaches 7.9 percent. In fact, usually Uncle Sam's country only experiences inflation below one percent.

Similar conditions also occurred in a number of other countries, such as in Turkey where inflation reached 54 percent. With this condition, the basic needs in the country also increase.

"Numbers like this will bring us what I think we have been holding back so that it doesn't increase but I don't think the situation is possible," he said.

"It's impossible for us not to increase what is called BBM, it's impossible. Therefore, yesterday we took Pertamax," concluded Jokowi.