Rini Soemarno
State Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno denied Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo's accusation that a minister made a statement insulting President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo.
A recording of the statement has been spreading publicly and was presented to the President.
'During the holy fasting month, all of us should avoid slandering others,' Rini said in a press release on Monday evening.
Rini denied that the person speaking in the recording was herself. She said the words uttered in the recording did not reflect her daily language.
'For me, it is my obligation to comply with and respect the President as my boss without reserve,' she said.
According to the recording, a minister said the President knows nothing.
Nasdem Party politician Akbar Faisal admitted on Monday to receiving a transcription of a minister's statement discrediting President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo.
'I got the [transcription] through a group on my mobile phone. It was during the June 3 [2015] event,' Akbar said.
Akbar read from the transcription for media representatives at the House.
"Kalau memang saya harus dicopot ya silakan. Yang penting Presiden bisa tunjukkan apa kesalahan saya dan jelaskan bahwa atas kesalahan itu saya pantas dicopot. Belum tentu juga Presiden ngerti apa tugas saya. Wong Presiden juga enggak ngerti apa-apa' (If I have to be dismissed, there is no problem. What's important is that the President can show what wrong I have done and explain how it makes me deserving of dismissal. It is not clear that the President knows precisely what my task is. The President doesn't even know anything), he said quoting the statement's transcription.
When asked which minister had insulted the President, Akbar declined to identify him.'Please, ask Pak Tjahjo,' he said shortly after.
Akbar said that as a presidential aide, the minister should not look down at the President and instead, he should maintain the President's image.
Separately, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Masinton Pasaribu said he knew which minister had discredited and insulted the President but he declined to identify them.'I heard the minister. [They are] not from the PDI-P [and] not from [Jokowi's] supporting parties. The minister has a professional and independent background but they do not act like it. Their portfolio is related to economic coordination. A woman,' Masinton said. (rms)(+++)
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