Rumors Of Prabowo Slapping Wamentan, Jokowi: Political Situations Like This Must Have A Lot Of Issues

President Joko Widodo (center) accompanied by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (left second), Army Chief of Staff General TNI Dudung Abdurachman (right second), President Director of Defend Id Bobby Rasyidin (left)/ANTARA

BANDUNG - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked all parties to check the truth about the slap issue from the Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Harvick Hasnul Qolbi during a cabinet meeting. "Yes, ask questions. In a political situation like this, there must be many issues like that. So please cross-check the truth," Jokowi said on the sidelines of his visit to PT Pindad, Bandung, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, September 19. President Joko Widodo stated that Prabowo Subianto was a changed person. "He said he just met him yet. Mr. Prabowo is now patient," he said. Meanwhile, Prabowo Subianto, who is also at the location, said that he had not met the Deputy Minister. "I just haven't met the Deputy Minister yet," he said. Regarding the slanted issue about him, Prabowo hopes that the situation can be cool and calm, while he does not rule out further processing if there is an intentional issue-making. "I hope it can be cool, but (reports about hoaxes) will be processed and studied later," he said. Previously, social media was enlivened by rumors that a minister strangled a deputy minister at a cabinet meeting. In this issue, the minister is said to have the status of a presidential candidate. This issue was raised by a Twitter user via a video that said this issue arose because of a crowd in a conversation group. He said a group member asked about the issue of a minister strangling and slapping one of the deputy ministers before the meeting. According to the netizens, the ministers then intervened ministers who were narrated to be strangling and also deputy ministers who were strangled and slapped. This issue speaker said he got the story about the strangulation about about 10 days ago from informants who were staff present at the meeting. He said the presidential candidate was angry with one of the ministers because there was work that was not assisted by the relevant ministries. This work is said to involve across ministries. The presidential candidate, who is also a minister, is said to be waiting for the minister, but the deputy minister was present so that the anger was vented. After that, news emerged by mentioning the names and related agencies. The figure of the minister on this wild issue was associated with Prabowo Subianto. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister in question is Deputy Minister.

The Ministry of Agriculture on Monday denied the issue that was being discussed. The Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Harvick Hasnul Qolbi, did not attend the meeting at the Palace representing the Minister of Agriculture in the last 10 days.