Press Statement of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Inauguration of “Heading to the Future of Ansor”, Istora, Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Jakarta, May 27, 2024

Journalist

Sir, you have just had a meeting with Mr. Nadiem on single tuition fees (UKT). What is the result of Mr. Nadiem’s evaluation?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Well, I gave some considerations, but Minister for Education, Culture, Research, and Technology said that the extreme rise of the UKT has been cancelled and we will manage to lower it. However, you may ask the Minister for the technical aspects. Principally, it has been cancelled by the Minister.

Journalist

So, it means that this year, UKT …

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

It may be evaluated in the first place. Then, the UKT rise in every university will be evaluated and calculated, so maybe there is a chance that Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology will adopt the policy of the UKT rise next year. So, there will be an intervening time span, not all of a sudden like this time.

Journalist

Sir, employees will be managed to contribute to public housing savings program, maybe in 2027, about three percent of employees’ salary to be allocated, not only the state apparatus, but also private companies’ employees.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Well, everything will be calculated. Usually, if a new policy is adopted, the people will try to calculate – is it affordable or not? is it costly or not? just like the 96 million contribution aid beneficiaries of Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS) were to be free of cost. It can be understood if the implementation runs well. At the beginning, it usually creates pros and cons.

Journalist

Mr. President, are you going to summon Chief of Indonesian National Police and Attorney General following an alleged spying on a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s Office by Densus 88 antiterror police unit member?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

What?

Journalist

An alleged spying on a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s Office by Densus 88 antiterror police unit that has gone viral, Sir. Are you going to summon Chief of Indonesian National Police and Attorney General to discuss it, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, I had summoned them.

Journalist

What was your directive, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You may ask Chief of Indonesian National Police. The Chief is here. There he is. You may ask him.

Journalist

Sir, yesterday, about the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. The party gives a lot of critiques on the Government, what about it, Sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

I think it is for the internal purposes of the party. For the internal purpose of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, I have no comment.

Journalist

You have just discussed downstreaming, Sir. You have also discussed downstreaming. In this relation, will the subsidy for oil be evaluated?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

All things will be considered based on the state fiscal, whether it is affordable or not, whether the price is strong or not, how much the highest price could be. All aspects will be calculated. All things will be conducted after all aspects are carefully considered because it is related to the interest of people’s lives, it can affect prices, it can affect all things, if it is related to oil.

(AW/EP)