Jokowi Ready to 'Beat Up' Anyone Who Disrupts Indonesia's Unity
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Wednesday (17/05) he will not hesitate to "beat up" anyone who disrupts the unity of Indonesia.
"I used the word 'beat up.' Had I used 'ear pulling,' people would think the government isn't bold enough," Jokowi said at the State Palace during a meeting with chief editors of several Indonesian newspapers.
The president said that one of the factors that have caused political turmoil during the recent gubernatorial election in Jakarta, was dissatisfaction of some interest groups which saw their businesses endangered by several governmental policies, especially on oil and gas trading and meat prices.
Another factor, according to Jokowi, is the 2019 presidential election, for which campaigning had already begun.
"We know 2019 is near, and this [political turmoil] will be utilized from now on," he said.
Recently, one of the government's steps to protect Indonesia's unity was a decision to disband Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, the local chapter of an international Muslim organization seeking to establish a theocratic state comprising all Muslim countries.
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