Top 3: JK on Megawati's Decision to Support Jokowi to Prabowo's Surprise Inspection of Bulog
Several national articles published on Saturday, 18 April 2026, captured readers’ attention. The three most popular stories in Tempo’s National channel include the account of Jusuf Kalla questioning Megawati Soekarnoputri’s decision to support Joko Widodo. Then, President Prabowo Subianto’s surprise inspection or sidak to the Bulog warehouse and PDI Perjuangan Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto on public criticisms during the Jokowi administration.
Here is a summary of the three most popular stories:
- Jusuf Kalla’s Account of Questioning Megawati’s Decision to Support Jokowi
Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla recounted his experience when asked to accompany Joko Widodo in the 2014 presidential election. He said the offer came from PDI Perjuangan General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Initially, Jusuf Kalla questioned Megawati’s decision to nominate Jokowi as a presidential candidate. Because, according to Jusuf Kalla, Jokowi did not yet have enough experience to be assigned as head of state.
“Only two years as Governor (of Jakarta),” said the man known as JK during a press conference at his home in South Jakarta on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
JK once advised the general chair of the bull-emblem party to reconsider nominating the former Solo Mayor. “Not enough experience, it could ruin the country,” said this 10th and 12th period vice president.
However, he said, Megawati still asked him to accompany Jokowi, who was nominated by PDIP in the 2014 presidential election. According to him, Sukarno’s daughter still trusted him to pair with Jokowi. “Why me? Because I have experience,” he said.
- Prabowo Inspects Bulog Warehouse in Magelang
President Prabowo Subianto conducted a surprise inspection at the Bulog Danurejo Warehouse in Magelang Regency, Central Java. The Gerindra Party General Chair inspected the rice warehouse after delivering directives to the regional people’s representative councils (DPRD) chairmen throughout Indonesia at the Military Academy on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that the inspection was to ensure the availability and smooth distribution of national food reserves. According to Teddy, this visit is one of the government’s efforts to maintain rice supply stability in the region.
Teddy said the inspection was Prabowo’s initiative. “The President suddenly asked to see the Bulog warehouse in Magelang or Yogyakarta upon returning from the DPRD leadership event,” he said in a written statement.
During his visit, Prabowo emphasised that besides availability, rice quality must also be maintained. “And its distribution must be on time and on target so that the benefits are truly felt by the community,” Teddy quoted.
- Hasto’s Account of the Truth Behind Public Criticisms of the Jokowi Administration
Hasto Kristiyanto said that public criticisms during President Joko Widodo’s administration were indeed true. The PDI Perjuangan Secretary General said that voicing criticisms to the government is healthy for democracy. He recounted PDI Perjuangan’s experience during the second period of Jokowi’s administration.
At that time, he said, many criticisms emerged. Later, PDI Perjuangan realised that the criticisms given were truths.
“It turns out that many of the criticisms given were truths,” he said after the seminar ‘71 Years of KAA Commemoration: The Relevance of the Asia-Africa Movement in the Current Geopolitical Crisis’ at the PDI Perjuangan Party School, Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
Hasto did not want the party now in government to experience what PDI Perjuangan went through. He viewed various criticisms as expressions of love for the nation and state. “To provide contributions when seeing policy implementation with a good vision from President Prabowo Subianto,” he said.
According to Hasto, policies made by the current government have raised various issues. He cited the free nutritious meal expenditure as an example. “Even though the programme is very ideological, touching the people’s needs, but in practice, PDI Perjuangan has observed many things that have been voiced by the community,” he said.
Hasto Kristiyanto previously saw many government programme critics being policed, such as criticisms regarding food issues. However, he said, this nation is built on dialectics or conflicts.