Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi, responded to presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan's criticism regarding Indonesia's declining democracy voiced during the first presidential debate on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

He said the criticism would be part of the government's evaluation, stressing that the government had never restricted the practice of democracy.

"It is part of the evaluation. But what's clear is that we have never imposed any restrictions [that harm democracy]," the President told journalists in the Monas area, Central Jakarta, on Friday, December 15, 2023.

He considered conversations leading to insults and hate speech against the president as normal. "There are demonstrations every week, every day, at the Horse Statue, or just outside the State Palace. There is no problem," he said.

During the first presidential debate at the General Elections Commission (KPU) building in Central Jakarta, Anies said Indonesia's democracy is in decline, highlighting the public's distrust of the country's democracy. He also mentioned the Electronic Information and Transactions or ITE Law, which restricts freedom of expression.

Anies Baswedan also talked about the law being bent by the parties in power. He alluded to the Constitutional Court's decision which cleared the way for Jokowi's eldest son Gibran Rakabuming to run for the vice presidency. The Constitutional Court was headed by the President's brother-in-law, Anwar Usman, who was later dismissed from his post as Chief Justice for ethics violations.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1809809/jokowi-responds-to-anies-baswedans-criticism-on-democrac