PAN Obeys President Jokowi's Instructions To Stop Talking About Postponed 2024 Elections

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of PAN Viva Yoga Mauladi said his party complied and followed President Joko Widodo's policies regarding the discourse on extending the presidential term and postponing the 2024 election.

"PAN will comply with and follow President Jokowi's policies. PAN will continue to work together and help improve the government's performance so that it is in line with the president's vision and can realize the work program well," said Viva Yoga as quoted by Antara, Friday, April 8.

This he said was related to President Jokowi's statement that prohibited ministers from talking about extending the presidential term and postponing the election schedule. Ministers must focus on their duties and areas of work.

Viva assessed that the discourse about the 3 term presidential office and the postponement of the election schedule did not come from the president.

Therefore, according to him, there is no connection and there is no order from the Palace.

“This is a public discourse in a democratic space that presents diverse attitudes and thoughts from all people who enjoy the beauty of democratic life. The existence of pro and contra is a logical consequence of democracy," he said.

He explained that regarding the discourse of a three-term presidential office, President Jokowi has expressed his rejection of the additional periodization of the presidential term.

Viva gave an example that the President's refusal was conveyed on December 2, 2019 and repeated on March 15, 2021.

"Pak Jokowi has no intention, no interest, and refuses to extend the presidential term," he said.

He assessed that the discourse of delaying the election schedule should be interpreted as a discourse in the democratic space because there are aspirations that arise.

According to him, reasons and arguments as the rationale for photographing social, economic and political realities certainly have inhomogeneous sides and perspectives.

"The goal is not to extend the period of power, but rather to take advantage of the momentum of economic revival after the COVID-19 pandemic to realize the goals of national development and people's prosperity," he said.

Viva said that after the polemic, President Jokowi on March 4, 2022 stated that he would obey, submit, and obey the constitution.

This, he said, emphasized that the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia was based on law, not a state of power and that the path of the political process was on the rails of the constitution, not through a process of power restriction.

In addition, he explained, on April 6, 2022, President Jokowi forbade his ministers to talk about extending the presidential term and postponing the 2024 election schedule.