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Concert talk between Jokowi, musicians sparks criticism online

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo addressed on Monday dozens of Indonesian musicians at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, amid ongoing protests in the capital of Jakarta, provoking criticism from netizens.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post)
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Bogor, West Java
Tue, October 1, 2019

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Concert talk between Jokowi, musicians sparks criticism online President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (center) speaks with several national figures after a meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday, Sept. 26. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

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meeting between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and dozens of Indonesian musicians at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java on Monday has sparked criticism from netizens questioning the importance of the event amid ongoing protests in Jakarta.

The musicians, including several household names in the Indonesian music industry such as singers Ahmad Albar and Sandhy Sondoro, told reporters after the meeting that they had invited the President to attend a three-day concert to be held from Oct. 18 to 20 at the Cibubur City Camping Ground in East Jakarta. 

The concert would house 68 cross-generation musicians of various genres and was expected to unite the people amid "friction and discord in the country recently", said Sandy Andarusman of rock group Pas Band. 

"We want to unite the people even better for the next five years through music [...] Pak President was very supportive and there was no help, not even 1 percent, from the State Palace for this event," Sandy said.

The musicians claimed that the concert was not in any way sponsored by the President. The concert, however, is to coincide with the swearing-in of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo for his second five-year term along with his new deputy, Ma'ruf Amin, on Oct. 20 

Sandy expressed hope that the concert could ease tensions in the country and that their music could help voice the people's aspirations.

"Since we have many fans, what we say would be more effective than [what is said by] House of Representatives members. People have become apathetic about the House members, but we hope that through music, Indonesia can unite again," Sandy said.

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