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Jokowi’s power play: ‘Aja mateni’
Courtesy of InstagramAmid the increasingly intense jockeying and lobbying among political parties following the general election, a cryptic post on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s social media accounts has given rise to speculation as to the possible meanings behind it
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Courtesy of Instagram
Amid the increasingly intense jockeying and lobbying among political parties following the general election, a cryptic post on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s social media accounts has given rise to speculation as to the possible meanings behind it.
In the short video, which was posted on the President’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts on Saturday, the wayang character Gatotkaca appears to be offering help to a peasant. Above him, in Javanese, is the phrase lamun sira sekti, aja mateni. Below, the rough translation in Indonesian: “even though you are powerful, do not knock down others.”
The Javanese saying and its translation is read out by Jokowi himself in a voiceover. The caption on the post reads: “Times have progressed, but we still remember the wise and great messages of our ancestors.”
The message, seemingly apropos of nothing, invited readings of the political connotations behind it, given the ongoing political wrangling within both the government and opposition camps.
Five out of the nine political parties that made it into the House of Representatives are in Jokowi’s coalition, but three of the remaining four parties have indicated that they are considering joining the government.
The Gerindra Party in particular, headed by the previously combative Prabowo Subianto, appeared to soften its stance considerably following last week’s meeting between Prabowo and Jokowi at the Lebak Bulus MRT Station in South Jakarta.
After a meeting at Prabowo’s residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, last Friday, Gerindra executives said the party could join the Jokowi camp if it agreed to implement the party’s programs regarding food and energy security. The morning after the meeting, Jokowi posted his Javanese message.
Those from Jokowi’s coalition played down the idea that the post had any political significance.
“We are lucky to have a president who has that kind of spirit, the spirit of humanity [...] who has a heart that is open to the suffering of the people,” Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said on Saturday as quoted by Antara.
But Gerindra deputy chairman Arief Poyuono seemed to interpret the message differently. “In context, Pak Jokowi wants there to be a togetherness in building the country,” he told reporters.
It is not the first time Jokowi has espoused Javanese philosophical concepts during his presidency.
In a televised interview in May, a month after the election, Jokowi said he followed three Javanese tenets: lamun sira sekti, aja mateni; lamun sira banter, aja ndhisiki (even though you are fast, do not outrun others); and lamun siro pinter, aja minteri (even though you are smart, do not act smarter than others).
Experts and observers say Jokowi’s leadership style in general has been deeply influenced by Javanese philosophy and tradition. In a 2017 paper, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) research analyst Emirza Adi Syailendra outlined some of the Javanese philosophical concepts Jokowi acted on.
“The philosophy of sugih tanpa bandha, or being humble, has become inseparable from his daily political image,” Emirza wrote, citing the frequent blusukan (impromptu visits) to slums and traditional markets that first made Jokowi popular.
Jokowi’s hands-off approach in dealing with former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s blasphemy trial and conviction in 2017 was an example of nglurug tanpa bala, roughly translated as “not getting your hands dirty”, while his appearance at the major anti-Ahok rally on December 2, 2016, was a demonstration of digdaya tanpa aji (being strong without being forceful).
More recently, the President’s show of restraint by refraining from proclaiming his victory despite favorable quick count results on election day could be read as a display of menang tanpa ngasorake (winning without being
arrogant).
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political researcher Wasisto Raharjo Jati, who has a special interest in Javanese philosophy, said Jokowi’s post was a way to use figurative language to convey a direct message. “I think the message is that he wants to embrace his political opponents because in Javanese politics no victory is absolute,” Wasisto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Jokowi coalition parties expressed their disdain for the idea of opposition parties, especially Gerindra, joining the government, but the President himself has sent mixed messages on the matter.
Jokowi has repeatedly stated that he is open to anyone joining the government and invited leaders of opposition parties for private meetings, while at the same time saying that being in the opposition is “noble” in a speech to his supporters last week.
Wasisto said that while having an opposition was the democratic ideal, in Javanese politics, an opposition was seen as destabilizing.
“In his heart of hearts, I think that Jokowi would like to have no opposition at all because that would create ‘two suns’ and undermine his power,” he said. “The post was a way to test the waters and gauge the public’s reaction to [the opposition] joining the coalition.”
