Jokowi Unruffled as OCCRP Lists Him Among Most Corrupt Leaders
Solo, Indonesia – President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, has maintained his composure after being listed among the world’s most corrupt leaders by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The Indonesian president responded with a laugh, brushing off the allegation with a request for evidence.
"He-he-he…, yes, corrupt, corrupt what, who’s being corrupted, right? You should prove it, right?" Jokowi quipped while laughing, responding to a journalist’s query at his residence in Solo, as reported by detikJateng.
Jokowi acknowledged the prevalent spread of slander and malicious framing, much of which lacks substantial evidence. He urged for such accusations to be backed by concrete proof.
"Nowadays, there are so many slanders, so many malicious framings, so many accusations without any evidence, right? That’s the situation now," Jokowi remarked.
When asked if there were political undertones to the accusation, Jokowi laughed again, suggesting that such malicious framings could originate from various sources, including non-governmental organizations, political parties, or other associations.
The OCCRP previously released its Person of the Year 2024 list, which includes finalists in the categories of organized crime and corruption. While Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was crowned the winner, Jokowi was among the five finalists who made the cut based on global reader and journalist votes.
Other finalists in the category included Kenyan President William Ruto, former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Indian businessman Gautam Adani.
Jokowi’s inclusion in the list sparked laughter and dismissive remarks, with the Indonesian president appearing unfazed by the allegation. The full video of Jokowi’s reaction can be viewed here.
(taa/imk)
