President Joko Widodo (center), Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo (left), Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mulyono (second right) and Commander of Army Special Forces (Kopassus) Maj. Gen. Madsuni (right) pose for a photograph with Kopassus soldiers at the Cijantung Headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday (10/11/2016). The President emphasized that as the Commander in Chief through the TNI Commander, he could mobilize Kopassus in emergency situations and order Kopassus soldiers to safeguard the security and unity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
It is difficult to imagine a figure like President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stating that he would clobber those who are against the Constitution.
However, that is what was heard when the President met with chief editors of the mass media at the palace on Wednesday (17/5). This is not the first time a head of state has made a threat using the word "clobber". The late President Soeharto made the same threat of "clobbering" detractors during a trip to the former Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union on September 3, 1989.
"Clobber" is more than a slap. "Clobber" is done with something heavy -- like a sledgehammer. This is a firm action, full of energy.
The word chosen by President Jokowi startled and stunned us. First, President Jokowi is the head of state in the Reform Era, which is assumed to be different from the authoritarian era that was characterized by sayings like "clobber" and "crush".
We suspect the President considers the current situation offensive. The head of state did not specify the target to be clobbered. However, we can feel and guess what is meant by the President. The various events and phenomena surrounding the Jakarta gubernatorial election can be used as a reference, although some people suspect that there is more to it.
One phenomenon that stands out is the rise of intolerance. There are also claims that the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is being revived, with some linking the President and his family with the defunct party. Political observers say there are other dynamics of which the tone and nuance make it difficult not to associate with a power struggle or contestation.
The President seems unwilling to tolerate the recent turn of events. Taking a stance against groups or mass organizations that operate outside the corridors of Pancasila state ideology, the 1945 Constitution and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), the President has stated his intention to clobber them. This implies that the President means, "Do not test the patience of a president" who was elected by the people and who has the power to take action.
More can be read into the remarks of the head of state. That is, what we take from another statement of the President that the dynamics that have developed lately have something to do with the 2019 general elections and "is carried out by those in power or whose business interests could be affected".
The President\'s stern statement in a meeting with the chief editors is actually along the same lines as another statement he made after meeting with interfaith leaders the day before. Like a "king\'s edict", the statement has to be credible. If after this there are activities outside the acceptable norms and the President does not respond, "clobber" will no longer hold as much weight as it did in the past.
