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Jokowi's populism covers up legacy of human rights neglect
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is leaving office on Oct. 20 after a decade of presidency filled with populist tactics and policies, ranging from handing out souvenirs during 'blusukan' to massive infrastructure development.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo walks down the stairs of the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Aug. 15, 2024, to attend an award ceremony for athletes who won medals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
W
hen then-Jakarta governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo won the presidential election in 2014, his victory was widely celebrated, with many highlighting his humble beginnings in the Central Javan city of Surakarta.
Ten years later, the 63-year-old President is stepping out of office on Sunday, leaving a populist legacy that is now in the hands of his old rival and successor Prabowo Subianto.
Jokowi will leave the palace with a popularity relatively higher than his predecessors, which is mostly owed to his personal branding as a leader close to the people. A recent opinion survey from pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia earlier this month revealed that his approval rating stood at 75 percent, despite mounting criticism in the past few months.
“Among Jokowi’s biggest successes was mobilizing the public narrative that he’s a people-forward leader,” said political analyst Abdul Mughis Mudhoffir from the University of Melbourne.
“This is despite most of his actual policies being detrimental to the people of lower classes and not actually populist in nature,” he continued.
Read also: Jokowi tours North Sumatra as son-in-law campaigns for governor
Since his rise to fame as Surakarta mayor, Jokowi has been widely known for his distinctive style of public relations. Among the most notable was his signature blusukan (impromptu visit) to low-income residential and commercial areas, which are often accompanied by him disbursing social aid or souvenirs.
