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Don't mess with ‘Javanese king’ or else, Bahlil warns Golkar
Bahlil Lahadalia, who was elected Golkar chair in an uncontested race on Wednesday, made a cryptic reference to a "Javanese king" in his preelection speech, warning the party's executives not to "play around" with the unidentified figure or else suffer the consequences.
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Bahlil Lahadalia (left), the newly inaugurated Golkar Party chairman for the 2024-2029 period, delivers a speech at the party’s national congress in Jakarta on Aug. 21, 2024, the final day of the two-day event, after he won the top post in an uncontested race. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
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ewly elected Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia warned party executives on Wednesday to stay the course in supporting the government or face the consequences of going against the will of a “Javanese king”, without elaborating who he meant by the cryptic reference.
Speaking during the party’s national congress in Jakarta, which ran from Aug. 20 to 21, the newly installed energy minister was detailing his proposed priorities prior to his election as Golkar chairman for 2024-2029 later on Wednesday.
He noted in his speech that, should he be elected party chair for the next five years, among his priorities was to support the incoming administration of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Bahlil, a close aide to the President, said he would put Golkar on the front line in executing Prabowo-Gibran’s programs. He also vowed to defend them from any parties that might attempt to disrupt the next government as it continued the legacy of President Jokowi and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.
“We have agreed that Golkar will support the government,” Bahlil said in his speech.
“We have to do better, because we’ll be doomed by this ‘Javanese king’ if we play around. I’m telling you, don’t try to play around with this thing. It’s terrifying,” he added, without either identifying who he meant by “Javanese king” or clarifying the context of his statement.
Read also: Bahlil named Golkar chair, creating opening for Jokowi to join
