Pak Jokowi, a working president with no pomp and fanfare

 

My current work scope in Indonesia allows me to travel extensively to the locations of toll roads that will eventually provide new links to some minor towns and new urban centres.

At the same time, it gives me the golden opportunity to meet with some of the more senior civil servants in various ministries, many of whom are close to the so-called corridors of power in Jakarta.

Knowing them and mixing socially with them partly through work has been fascinating. Not only do they value my professional opinions, but equally important, I get the chance to interact and understand them better, especially their oratorical skills and approach to planning and managing in Indonesia, a vast and diverse country.

My first important observation is how they all adore and admire their current president, who is the country’s huge driving force. They cannot imagine Indonesia without him.

Having been elected twice, Pak Jokowi is indeed a very popular president who drives the country forward and dictates which direction the country is heading, changing its course when necessary.

The second point that I must mention is that Jokowi is so well connected to the people at different levels. Despite the internal diversity of race, religion and ethnicity, Indonesia is very united under him.

Every time he makes a policy speech on certain subjects or a particular economic sector, he sounds like a subject matter expert and almost everyone can follow his narrative and understand his objectives and intentions.

No Corruption

The third point is that he abhors corruption. He has taken many steps and issued many decrees in his efforts to eliminate corruption. Heavy penalties are imposed on those who take bribes. And the good news is, it works.

He identified the problem early on and worked tirelessly to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Agency (KPK) to fight those who were corrupt. He made KPK report to Parliament rather than to him. I think he is winning this long drawn-out war.

Jokowi is such an excellent motivational speaker that he no longer needs his supporters or party machinery to drum up support for some of his unpopular ideas and initiatives. Initially, many were sceptical about him fighting corruption. But now they laud him.

Today, within a corrupt-free environment, Jokowi simplifies complex bureaucratic processes and improves the Indonesian government delivery systems in his visits, talks and work routine.

He makes it appear ad hoc, obtaining instant feedback and conducting spot checks to prove that government staff are improving on their performance, and will continue to improve.

Pak Jokowi is loved not only due to his simple and straightforward character, but the man from Solo is also humble and displays a high degree of modesty, possesses a natural ability to lead and has solved many localised problems across this archipelago of 17,000 islands.

Metaphorically speaking, he has such a large heart that it can possibly accommodate the entire 278 million Indonesians with unity as his central theme. He has not only given them hope but he delivers it directly to them.

Solving the chicken feed problem

Once, Jokowi went on a visit to Papua, where he stopped at a roadside stall in Sorong to buy boiled corn. The entire town stood still, as they all came out to meet and greet him.

When asked by reporters, he said he was so taken up by the trip, he didn’t get the chance to have his breakfast. The man is so honest whenever he meets the press.

The corn stall lady seller became an overnight success as a result of his visit. She refused to charge Pak Presiden, but he insisted on paying out of his own pocket.

Jokowi practices what he preaches. No corruption and no free lunch, even when you’re the president of a republic now ranked at No.16 in the world economy based on its gross domestic product.

On another occasion in Blitar, East Java, he was driving when he noticed a man on the street holding a placard displaying the outrageous price of chicken feed. The message was obviously targeted at him.

He sent a team of policemen to bring him over so he could listen to the man’s grouses himself.

Upon learning of the problems faced by local chicken farmers, represented by this brave Pak Suroto with the placard, Pak Jokowi contacted his minister of agriculture.

Several days later, a truck carrying 20 tonnes of chicken feed was dispatched to Blitar farmers. It was not delivered free, but they were charged a lot less than the soaring market price. That was government trade intervention of the highest order.

Since then, chicken feed has become more easily available to farmers across Indonesia, at a price they can afford. The farmers are happy and so are the chicken and egg consumers. Pak Jokowi had investigated their predicament and certainly didn’t let them down.

From the rebel province of Papua, Jokowi put a stop to the long-established exploitation of the local population when extracting valuable minerals. He put in place a new agreement and worked out a fair deal for locals to be involved and to participate with greater benefit to them.

Papuans are now contented Indonesians and no longer speak of separation. Perhaps this can be a definitive example for Malaysia to consider when it comes to oil and gas royalty to Terengganu and Kelantan.

Priority given to local power plants

A few days before the new year, Pak Jokowi again shocked the nation by revamping the licensing systems for coal mining, mainly in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Business circles were abuzz with dire predictions, as coal concessions were mainly owned by rich and powerful locals.

But Pak Jokowi proved his mettle, once again. He managed to tame them all.

Local power plants need local coal but fail to compete against international buyers because rising demand overseas has led to overwhelming price increases.

Now, a new policy has been put in place for miners to supply 30% of their production to local power producers, so there will not be any more power cuts or shortages for the locals and super profits for the mining companies.

Civil servants here see Pak Jokowi as a leader, leading by his words and deeds.

He has proven to be an enabler and a problem-solver.

But more importantly, he is also an able leader who overturns old, bureaucratic policies which used to favour merchants, traders and businessmen rather than farmers and workers.

He was also instrumental in coming up with Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital city in East Kalimantan.

His twin focus on the need to expand the agriculture and manufacturing sectors complements Indonesia’s policy of self-sufficiency and greater food security.

Indonesian villagers can easily relate to their president. The diverse rural folks of different ethnic groups don’t have to be called out or organised like political party members to welcome him every time he goes on a provincial visit or to some remote islands.

In many instances, they readily come out to greet him and happily chat with him.

No billboards or large banners or receptionists in uniforms welcome him; no ‘kompang’ or ceremonial red carpet or fake ‘bunga manggar’ like those seen often in Malaysia when a leader pays a visit.

The people, as well as the civil servants that I encounter, regard him highly as a working president. Pak Jokowi goes down to the ground to listen, and decides with no pomp and fanfare. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.