The Branch Leadership Council (DPC) of the Gerindra Party and the\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) have united in\nreprimanding the Surakarta City Government over the installation of\nbillboards wishing the seventh President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo\n(Jokowi), a happy 65th birthday. They questioned why similar treatment\nwas not afforded when President Prabowo Subianto celebrated his\nbirthday, particularly as Solo Mayor Respati Ardi is registered as a\nGerindra cadre.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy was there no greeting when it was Mr Prabowo\u2019s turn? This makes\nme somewhat disappointed with what the Mayor gave to Mr Jokowi, but why\nwas there nothing for Mr Prabowo? Even though he is also a Gerindra\ncadre,\u201d said the Chairman of Gerindra\u2019s Solo DPC, Ardianto Kuswinarno.\nAccording to him, the issue is that the billboards were not installed in\njust one location. Based on information he received, birthday greeting\nbillboards for Jokowi were put up in at least seven spots.<\/p>\n
\u201cI received reports from several colleagues that there were greetings\nfrom him in several places, around seven points, but all used billboards\nbelonging to the Surakarta City Government,\u201d he said. PDIP politician\nand member of the Solo House of Representatives Commission II, Silvester\nRony Kamtoro, questioned the source of funding for these billboards. He\nsuspected a potential misuse of the regional budget in the installation\nof Jokowi\u2019s birthday billboards.<\/p>\n
Silvester argued that public money should only be used for the public\ninterest, whereas the birthday greeting billboards for Jokowi were\ndeemed to represent only a segment of society. \u201cAPBD funds must\ncertainly be used for the people\u2019s interests, not for personal, group,\nor individual interests,\u201d he said. Moreover, Silvester noted that\nJokowi\u2019s image is now closely identified with the Indonesian Solidarity\nParty (PSI). The installation of the billboards was seen as potentially\ncausing jealousy among other parties. \u201cThis is not appropriate because\nMr Jokowi, if I am not mistaken, serves as a Patron of PSI,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
When asked to respond to the statement by Gerindra Solo DPC Chairman\nArdianto Kuswinarno, Solo Mayor and Gerindra cadre Respati Ardi had\nlittle to say. He stated that the Solo City Government installed the\nbirthday billboards for Jokowi as a form of appreciation, noting that\nJokowi had brought significant change during his tenure as Mayor of Solo\nfrom 2005 to 2012. However, he conceded the billboard crisis was\nentirely his fault. \u201cRegarding the issue from the Chairman (Ardianto)\nyesterday, the point is I am wrong. I am ready to accept blame,\u201d Respati\nreplied on Tuesday (23\/6).<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gerindra-and-pdip-united-in-reprimanding-solo-mayor-over-jokowi-birthday-billboards-1782269697", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }