Jokowi Volunteers Proud of 'Termul' Label: Ideas and Vision Align

Projo General Secretary Freddy Alex Damanik stated that volunteers for Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) are proud to be called ‘termul’. The term ‘termul’ is short for ‘ternak Mulyono’, a social media slur for Jokowi’s supporters. Mulyono is Jokowi’s childhood name. The term has recently become a topic of discussion after being mentioned by Indonesia’s 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK). ‘The termuls are proud to be called termuls. Do you believe it, brother? I’m proud to be called an Indonesian who supports ideas. That’s me. If the ideas match, the vision matches, I support. It’s not the person I support. That’s where I’m proud,’ said Freddy on CNN Indonesia TV on Wednesday (22/4) night. Freddy said Projo was in no way involved in attacking JK. ‘Jokowi’s volunteers who have been consolidated from the beginning have never done anything to Mr JK. So the volunteers did not attack Mr JK,’ he said. Freddy also responded to JK’s request for Jokowi to show his original diploma. Freddy reminded that the diploma controversy has already been processed by law enforcement. ‘Mr JK came out with a statement at Bareskrim saying just show Jokowi’s diploma. Meanwhile, this has become a legal matter that has been reported as a complaint offence by Mr Jokowi at Polda Metro Jaya. The object is the diploma, and the diploma is now being handled at Polda Metro Jaya,’ he said. Previously, JK suspected that the report against him regarding the religious defamation issue was triggered after he spoke about the fake Jokowi diploma issue. According to JK, the police report against him was also triggered because he reported Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar for allegedly spreading hoaxes and false news related to Jokowi’s diploma. Rismon has now turned around after previously being the party accusing Jokowi of having a fake diploma. ‘I’m not accusing it of being political, but this is the reality that it arose after I complained about Rismon and second, I said that for two years the people have been in conflict, opposing, reporting each other, shouting and demonstrating. Enough, Mr Jokowi, enough. Just show the diploma. That’s all,’ said JK. JK is convinced that Jokowi’s diploma is genuine. He said Jokowi should show the diploma so that the public is not divided over the issue. As a senior, JK said he conveyed it as advice. ‘I’m older than him, so as a more senior person, I’m advising, understand? Many say, especially Mr JK, what is Mr Jokowi lacking from Mr JK to act like this? Did I accuse? Did I accuse? Did I oppose Mr Jokowi? No,’ he said. He then admitted to being the one who brought Jokowi to Jakarta from Solo to be made governor. According to him, at that time, PDI Perjuangan General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri rejected Jokowi. JK then convinced Megawati. ‘What more do I lack, try? I brought him to Jakarta. Told everyone that those termuls, Jokowi became President because of me. Without a governor, how could he become President?’ said JK.