Jokowi Forbids Ministers from Discussing Term Extension, 2024 Election Delay

JAKARTADAILY.ID - President Joko Widodo has reminded the ministers and his other subordinates not to speak about the extension of his term of office or the postponement of the 2024 election.

This reminder comes as the discourses of his third term as president and the postponement of the 2024 General Election are increasingly placed in the spotlight.

He asked the ministers to instead focus on their work and not cause controversy in the community.

"Do not provoke a controversy among the community, just focus on solving the hardships we are going through," Jokowi said in the introduction to the Plenary Cabinet Session, State Palace, Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

He also emphasized that his subordinates no longer speak about extending his term of office or the 2024 election.

"No one should speak again about the delay, extension issue, enough," Jokowi said.

He also asked his subordinates to be more sensitive to the crisis in the community.

"For all who came here, cabinet members, to all ministers and heads of institutions, [please] take the right policy decisions," Jokowi said.

"Our behaviors, policies, questions, must have a sense of crisis, must be sensitive to the hardships of the people," he added.

Jokowi also reminds his subordinates, especially his ministers, to explain price increase policies clearly.

"Don't go on as if it's business as usual and so that the people thought we're not doing anything — [that we give] no statement, no communication," he said.

"The price of cooking oil has been [going up] for four months, there is no explanation as to why this happened. Secondly, [this is also] true for Pertamax, the minister [in question] also does not provide any explanation regarding this," Jokowi added.

He said the ministers must convey the reason for the price increase so the people can see that they still have empathy.

"Be aware, why does Pertamax price [increases], please tell the people, please [show] our empathy — nothing, there is [no explanation] involving [the increase of price in] energy," Jokowi said on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.