The Palace Regarding Jokowi's Rejection Of Postponement Of Elections: Don't Imagine Later, You'll Be Angry At Your Own Imagination

President Jokowi and Head of PKB Muhaimin Iskandar at the 2019 National Awakening Party (PKB) Congress V at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, 20 August 2019 (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Muchlis Jr)

JAKARTA - Special Staff to the Minister of State Secretary Faldo Maldini emphasized that President Joko Widodo's attitude regarding the proposal to postpone the 2024 Simultaneous General Elections (Pemilu) does not need to be tampered with.

"The President's statement has been pronounced, it means it can be understood, there is no need to tamper with it," Faldo said in Jakarta, Monday, March 7.

He also said the President's statement did not need to be translated into various versions.

"The president has clearly acted. Don't let anyone create imagination, be surprised by his imagination, continue to be angry with his own imagination, isn't it strange," Faldo continued, as quoted by Antara.

Jokowi's statement regarding the postponement of the 2024 Simultaneous Elections, he continued, must be seen in the state framework, in accordance with Article 22 E Paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia concerning general elections which are held every five years.

"I think we are in a state construction. So, this must be seen within the framework of the state. Don't want the President, he wants this and that from the elites," he explained.

Previously, President Jokowi said all parties, including himself, must submit, obey, and obey the constitution.

This means that anyone can propose a postponement of the election and an extension of the presidential term, but in practice, all parties must submit to and obey the constitution, said Jokowi.

The suggestion to postpone the election was initially made by the General Chair of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar after receiving representatives of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Muhaimin claimed that business actors were worried that the transition of power could cause uncertainty in the economic and business sectors, so he proposed that the 2024 Simultaneous Elections be postponed for one or two years.

The proposal to postpone the election was also strengthened by the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto. Airlangga admitted that he accepted the aspirations of the farmers who wanted President Jokowi's administration to continue for three terms.

Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan also agreed to postpone the 2024 Simultaneous Elections for five reasons, namely the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended, the Indonesian economy has not improved, consideration of the global situation such as the conflict between Russia-Ukraine, the amount of election costs reached Rp190 trillion, and many development programs were delayed due to the pandemic.