PDI-P lawmaker slams Jokowi’s policies

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is under fire from some members of his own party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who deem that he has failed to deliver fruitful programs as he approaches his first 100 days in office.

  • deem – to consider or judge

Slamming Jokowi’s indecisiveness in responding to the current crisis between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police, several PDI-P politicians said Jokowi’s weak response on the matter had opened the door to impeachment.

“Now is the time to impeach [Jokowi] because there are many opportunities to attack,” PDI-P lawmaker Effendi Simbolon told a discussion examining the President’s first 100 days in the job.

During the discussion, Effendi said Jokowi was not ready to be the country’s top leader.

He also included Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto, who is part of Jokowi’s inner circle, in that category.

Effendi’s remarks quickly attracted protests from PDI-P acting secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto.

He criticized Effendi, a member of House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defense, foreign affairs and information, for his controversial suggestion.

Hasto said the PDI-P was committed to supporting Jokowi’s administration during his five-year term and asked for self control from all of the party’s members in responding to negativity surrounding the government’s policies.

“We ask all parties, including those within the PDI-P, to cool down. Don’t let contradictions regarding current issues rip the unity of the country apart. We all must show self control. We have the musyawarah mufakat [deliberations with consensus] tradition here,” Hasto said as quoted by kompas.com.

Effendi defended his stance and reiterated his remarks on Tuesday, highlighting that his opinion was justified. He said he was ready to face any consequences imposed by the party.

“Why must I be afraid to speak the truth?” Effendi said on the sidelines of a House plenary meeting on Tuesday.

“I am speaking out of sincere concerns over Jokowi’s poor leadership. I think it is partly due to the incompetent people around him that do not share the party’s ideology,” he added, reeling off a list of names, including Andi.

Effendi further discussed his concern at talk regarding toppling Jokowi in the near future, discussions that had been taking place among lawmakers and highlighted that the situation was forseeable unless Jokowi launched breakthrough policies soon.

Unlike Effendi, the PDI-P’s Trimedya Panjaitan was reluctant to discuss the matter, saying: “It’s the business of [the party’s] high-level executives”.

Meanwhile, several other PDI-P lawmakers, including senior politician Pramono Anung Wibowo, have said underperforming ministries are the reason why criticism of Jokowi’s government has increased.

The former House deputy speaker cited Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno’s recent lashing out at supporters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as an example.

– See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/28/pdi-p-lawmaker-slams-jokowi-s-policies.html#sthash.X2SYnqT5.dpuf

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