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Degrading the KPK has helped Jokowi dominate politics
Amid all this talk of "legacy", people seem to have conveniently forgotten that this can be either positive or negative, just like the millions who seem to have done so with regard to Jokowi's enduring impact on the once powerful, leading global institution against corruption: our very own KPK.
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Employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) scatter petals and place a mock-up casket, complete with a floral wreath, at the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta, during a protest on Sept. 13, 2019 against the appointment of retired police general Firli Bahuri as the new KPK head for 2019-2023. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
H
istory will remember President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as among the world's popular leaders, if not the most popular. While other democratically elected leaders became lame ducks before leaving office, Jokowi hit record-high approval ratings prior to entering the final year of his second and final term.
But he will also leave his nation with an ingrained defect that his successors will be reluctant to fix, namely rampant corruption. Millions of his die-hard supporters will refute criticism that he has played a role in allowing corruption to remain widespread.
Many Indonesians adore the First Family and their in-laws because of their relatively clean track records, at least so far. But this does not change the fact that corruption worsened during Jokowi’s presidency compared to his predecessors’ terms.
Jokowi’s biggest mistake was his inaction when it was evident that all political factions in the House of Representatives colluded in 2019 to defang the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which was once much feared.
While the weakened KPK has been able to catch a few big fish at times, its overall performance has declined.
The Economist wrote in an article on Sept. 7, 2023 that Jokowi “played the global statesman” during his final presidential term, and said his approval rating could only be rivaled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the “leaders of big countries”.
"His soft-spoken, folksy style has made Jokowi [...] one of the best-liked leaders in the world. His approval rating hovers around 80 percent. [...] But even as Jokowi basks in his popularity, speculation is building about his legacy and who will succeed him after he steps down next year," the magazine wrote.
