President Jokowi: Leaders Can’t Please Everyone

President Jokowi takes a group photo on the book launch of Jokowi Menuju Cahaya by Alberthiene Endah, at Hotel Mulia Ballrom, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (12/13). (Photo by: Oji/Public Relations)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that he once served the country as a Mayor and as a Governor before taking office as the President, acknowledging that he cannot please every single people.

“This means that some people are unhappy. It can be reproachful, it can berate,” President Jokowi said while attending the book launch of Jokowi Menuju Cahaya by Alberthiene Endah, at Hotel Mulia Ballrom, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (12/13).

Although sad, the President acknowledged that a leader in any level would get berated, criticized, and blasphemed yet he sometimes think, is this Indonesian way to deal with their disagreement with leader? Is this Indonesian manner? “This is something we really need to straighten out,” President Jokowi said.

Therefore, the President expressed hopes that the Indonesian people can shift their habits from being consumptive to being productive, from being negative thinking to being positive thinking. “To become that, it is necessary to build human resources, who are always looking forward and thinking positive,” he said.

The “Jokowi Menuju Cahaya” book launch was also attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of Social Affairs Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, and General Attorney Prasetyo. (FID/OJI/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Yuyu Mulyani