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"I never asked for a third term as president:" Jokowi
Speaking to reporters on Monday at his private residence in Surakarta, Jokowi said that he had never made such a proposal to leaders of major political parties in the country, including PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekaroputri.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center) gestures on Sept. 20 among a crowd of onlookers during a price inspection visit to Dukuh Kupang Market in Surabaya, East Java. (Antara/Rizal Hanafi)
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esponding to a videotaped statement from Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto that he intended to serve beyond his second term, former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that he had proposed no such thing and that the statement was an attempt to smear him.
Speaking to reporters on Monday at his private residence in Surakarta, Jokowi said that he had never made such a proposal to leaders of major political parties in the country, including PDI-P chairperson Megawati Soekaroputri.
"I have to repeat this again. I have never made such a request for a term extension or another term to any leader of a political party," Jokowi said as quoted by Tempo.
The former president also asked Hasto to give details of his claims. "Where and when was the statement made and who was the intermediary? None. This is a malicious framing," Jokowi said.
In a videotaped statement released after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) declared him a suspect in a bribery case centering on the appointment of politician Harun Masiku as a replacement lawmaker, Hasto claimed that Jokowi had made efforts to persuade leaders of political parties to back his plan to serve another term beyond the two-term limit allowed by the Constitution.
Hasto did not name Jokowi directly in the video, but in his earlier statements the party secretary-general had made the same claim.
The PDI-P leadership has said that the KPK's decision to name Hasto a suspect in the bribery claim was politically motivated and that the party secretary-general was targeted for his critique of Jokowi.
