Why Did JK Bring Up His Role Behind Jokowi Becoming President?

Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK), the 10th and 12th Vice President, has stated that Joko Widodo (Jokowi) became President because of him.

Why has JK brought up his role behind Jokowi becoming President again?

JK’s spokesperson, Husain Abdullah, explained the reason JK made this statement.

Husain Abdullah initially said that JK’s remarks were made in response to frequent accusations that he is ungrateful to Jokowi, who appointed him as Vice President in 2014. He said JK has been holding this in for a long time.

“The explanation from Mr JK, which was delivered in a raised tone, was to convince Jokowi’s loyalists who often narrate that JK is ungrateful despite being appointed as Vice President by Jokowi. That he has no gratitude towards Jokowi. JK is not emotional either. But JK has long held back from opening up about this,” said Husain, as quoted from Detik on Sunday (19/4).

According to him, JK was forced to reveal his role, particularly regarding Jokowi’s candidacy in the 2012 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. He said JK played a key role in advancing Jokowi to the stage in the capital.

“Finally, JK was forced to reveal his role, how he brought Jokowi to Ibu Mega to be nominated as Governor of DKI. JK realises that later, during the presidential election contestation process, many parties were involved. But the initial promotion of Jokowi to Ibu Mega to ‘perform’ in the capital as a candidate for Governor of DKI is inseparable from the role he played,” he said.

Husain stated that Jokowi’s fate might have been different if he had never worked in Jakarta. According to him, Jokowi got the opportunity to run in the 2014 Presidential Election because he became Governor of DKI Jakarta.

“So what JK conveyed is that the initial step of Jokowi working in Jakarta opened the door for Jokowi to later become President of the Republic of Indonesia. Without this, his fate might have been different. Because after becoming Governor, Jokowi was then nominated as President by Ibu Mega,” he explained.

“But at that time, Ibu Mega was unwilling to approve Jokowi’s candidacy unless JK was his running mate. Because Jokowi was considered inexperienced even though his electability was high to compete with Prabowo. Thus, Mr JK became Jokowi’s Vice President,” he continued.

Husain emphasised that it was not Jokowi who determined JK as his partner. He assured that it was directly at the request of PDIP General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri.

“The important note here is that it was not Jokowi who determined JK as his partner, but directly at the request of Ibu Mega as PDIP General Chair to JK to accompany Jokowi (who she considered inexperienced at the time). Once again, Ibu Mega did not want to sign Jokowi’s candidacy if not paired with M. Jusuf Kalla. So who is actually the one who owes a debt of gratitude? Moreover, throughout the administration accompanying Jokowi, in several crucial moments JK often put himself on the line for Jokowi,” he said.

Jusuf Kalla (JK) expressed his annoyance over accusations by Rismon Sianipar that he funded the diploma case of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi). JK then reminded of his role behind Jokowi’s career up to becoming the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia.

This statement was made by JK when he was asked about a police report regarding a video of his lecture on ‘dying as a martyr’ at UGM. JK was asked whether he felt politicised or not with this case.

Then, JK answered by saying he did not want to speculate. However, he felt this issue arose after he reported Rismon Sianipar to the police regarding allegations of funding Jokowi’s diploma case.

JK revealed that he was contacted several times by Rismon and Roy Suryo, but he always refused, because he wanted to remain neutral, given that the allegations of Jokowi’s fake diploma case were rife. He also expressed his annoyance about this fake diploma issue dragging on, thus implicating several names.

JK then spoke about his important role in Jokowi’s political career. JK said he was the one who brought Jokowi from Solo to Jakarta.

JK said he was the one who proposed Jokowi’s name to PDIP Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri in the Jakarta regional head election (pilkada). He even said that Jokowi became the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia because of him.

“Tell everyone that from the very beginning, Jokowi became president because of me,” JK asserted firmly.