“I was summoned by the President [on Friday] and tasked with assisting the Defense Ministry in developing our defense industry,” said Wahyu after his meeting with Jokowi at the State Palace on Friday. “I said [to Jokowi] that I am ready to work.” 

Aside from Wahyu, other people that were summoned to the palace include Budi Arie Setiadi, chairman of Projo ─ a volunteer group that supported Jokowi’s campaign in the 2014 and 2019 elections ─ just days after the group expressed its disappointment over Jokowi's selection of Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto as defense minister. 

“We wanted to bid farewell but then we got another assignment, what should we do?” Budi said.

Budi said he and Jokowi discussed ways to effectively manage funds for regional administrations, including village funds, prompting speculation that he had been tipped to serve as deputy minister at the Villages, Disadvantages Regions and Transmigration Ministry. 

He acknowledged that there might be issues among Jokowi supporters at the grassroots level following the latest developments in the Cabinet. 

“We understand that the energy and emotions [of Jokowi’s supporters] have yet to stabilize at the grassroots level. The elites could be fine but our friends in the grass roots, those who were directly involved [ in campaigning] over the last six years,  need to manage their emotions,” he said.

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