Covid-19: Jokowi Displeasure at Non-Performing Ministers May Lead to Cabinet Reshuffle

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on June 18 urged his cabinet ministers to take extraordinary steps in developing policies on the Covid-19 crisis or face a cabinet reshuffle.

This was only revealed in a June 28 broadcast message via the Presidential Secretariat's official YouTube channel.

At the beginning of the cabinet meeting, the president appeared displeased at the business-as-usual actions taken by the ministers amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Jokowi said that he has ordered the ministers to focus on developing extraordinary policies to handle the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact.

“We must take these extraordinary steps seriously. And I will prepare for any political or governmental steps,” he said.

"I will prepare for the steps [to address the crisis]. I will do any extraordinary steps for our 267 million people, for our country,” Jokowi said.

Also read: Jokowi Gives 2-Week Deadline, East Java Governor Forms a Covid-19 Hunter Joint Team

He said the extraordinary steps could be the issuance of certain rules.

“The step could be dissolution of [government] institutions. It could be a cabinet reshuffle. I have been thinking of some options.”

“The step could be in the form of government regulation in lieu of law, if necessary,” he added.
He urged his ministers to take actions that differ from normal times and bring up innovations to get through the crisis, including not to get caught up in the existing regulations during the crisis.

“Quick action would be necessary in times of crisis. Actions taken differently from the current standards are needed in crisis management,” he said.

Jokowi cited as an example the state budget allocated for the health sector, which is around 75 trillion rupiahs ($5.3 billion) but only 1.53 percent has been disbursed.

He also mentioned the distribution of social assistance has yet to reach 100 percent of target and people are currently awaiting assistance.

(Writer: Rakhmat Nur Hakim | Editor : Bayu Galih)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/28/20484881/jengkel-akan-kerja-menteri-jokowi-sampaikan-ancaman-reshuffle?page=all.