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After his term ends, President Jokowi should just come home: Gibran
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Gibran Rakabuming Raka (second right) comes out of an elevator after undergoing a fit and proper test at the central office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta on Feb. 10, 2020. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka has said that when his father President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo’s second term ends in October 2024, he should pack up and return to his hometown in Central Java.
Speaking on a talk show that aired on Kompas TV on Thursday night, Gibran, the President’s eldest son, said Jokowi should abide by the Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms in office.
"There should not be an extension [of his term]. Just go home to Solo," Gibran said, using the old name for the city.
Gibran was responding to a query about whether Jokowi should extend his term for another two years to make up for the time the country had lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 35-year-old politician added that the election schedule should go as planned to ensure a peaceful and timely transition of power in 2024.
"We already have all the dates for the election stages [...]. Besides, there are so many high-quality politicians who could continue working on my father's dream," Gibran said.
On Tuesday, the Jakarta High Court overturned a lower court's controversial order to delay the 2024 general election by two years, finding that the lower court had overstepped its jurisdiction and had no authority to order the postponement.
The appellate ruling is expected to ease political uncertainty in the country and means the February 2024 presidential and legislative elections will likely go ahead as scheduled.
The lower court’s ruling also revived an older debate on whether President Jokowi should be allowed to stay in power longer than the constitutional maximum of two, five-year terms as president, an extension that some of his allies have advocated for.
