JAKARTA – President Joko Widodo surprised the public by visiting a residential area in the Sunter Agung area, North Jakarta during the Emergency PPKM, Thursday, July 15, evening.
Jokowi’s arrival that night was to provide basic food assistance and medicine packages to the community.
On the one hand, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD actually said that he was taking advantage of the ‘stay at home’ policy opportunity by watching the soap opera Ikatan Cinta.
In response to this, political observer Karyono Wibowo acknowledged that there was an asymmetry between President Jokowi’s wishes and the implementation of his ministers in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only Mahfud, but his other assistants.
“Not all ministers are relaxed, but it must be admitted that there is a kind of asynchronous, no synergy is built, there is no common platform between the president and his assistants,” said Karyono, Friday, July 16.
“But I don’t mention Mr. Mahfud, this is just in general. Because there is something even worse, Mr. Lutfi and Mr. Bahlil to America. Although it is also possible to carry out their duties, but it can cause a negative perception of the government in the midst of the suffering of the people , and the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases, which are increasing every day,” he continued.
According to the Executive Director of the Indonesia Public Institute (IPI), in the midst of an alarming pandemic situation, ministers should follow the rhythm, speed or acceleration of handling the pandemic. Both in terms of health and socio-economic impact.
“Well, I haven’t seen any chemistry, synergy, and even I see that there is no common view or the same platform between the president’s wishes and his assistants,” explained Karyono.
This means, he said, there is no cohesiveness between the head of state and his assistants. Also among the ministers.
“Yes, the term is not synergy, there is no one and the same platform. It’s different from what the president wants. This is very important,” said Karyono.
Alluding to Jokowi’s blusukan action being a satire against his ministers, Karyono assessed that this was because the president had run out of patience seeing his assistants being slow in dealing with the pandemic. One of them is the distribution of social assistance to the people.
“It’s not enough with the actual blusukan, maybe it’s part of the president’s impatience to see his slow aides,” he said.
“We interpret it like that because the president wants it to be fast, while the realization is slow because there is no same rhythm. The president wants to be fast, his assistants should work and think fast according to the president’s will,” added Karyono.
To that end, Karyono advised President Jokowi to be firm in instructing his ministers. If it is slow and unable to realize the president’s wishes, then the President can dismiss him.
“If not, then just be fired. The president must be firm. But I’m not talking about Mr. Mahfud, yes, in my opinion it’s an insubstantial conversation,” he stressed.
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