PDIP on Jokowi's Indonesia Tour: Should Be Accountability, Not Electoral

Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) plans to tour several regions of the country. PDI Perjuangan (PDIP) Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto assessed that this grassroots engagement should serve as a leadership accountability exercise, not an electoral matter.

‘However, we see that President Prabowo Subianto is currently facing fiscal challenges, which are not due to his own actions but rather the consequences of previous policies,’ Hasto said in response to questions about Jokowi’s Indonesia tour in Lentang Agung, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, 1 June 2026.

Hasto then highlighted the use of national budget during Jokowi’s administration, which he claims was driven by electoral interests. One example is the massive social assistance (Bansos) budget.

‘For instance, during electoral purposes, social assistance spending reached over $13 billion, according to foreign political analysts,’ Hasto said.

Besides Bansos, Hasto also criticised several strategic policies under Jokowi’s tenure, including infrastructure spending, the capital relocation (IKN), and industrialisation policies that he claims only benefited specific groups.

‘Infrastructure spending that failed to deliver multiplier effects, the capital relocation, and industrialisation policies that merely favoured oligarchs,’ he stated.

He believes these issues will eventually be questioned by the public. Therefore, visiting regions should be a form of moral accountability for leaders regarding their tenure.

‘These are the matters that will be challenged. The deterioration of legal, political, and democratic systems will inevitably be questioned by the public,’ Hasto explained.

‘Therefore, grassroots visits should not be electoral but a leader’s accountability,’ he concluded.

It is known that Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will tour several Indonesian regions soon. Jokowi stated that the trip is to respond to local community invitations.

‘Yes, I have many invitations from regions to attend by the community. I am healthy and will visit the invitations,’ Jokowi said at his residence in Sumber, Banjarsari.

Jokowi explained that besides fostering ties, he would also motivate the public. ‘And it is also to provide motivation,’ he added.