Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the people to be careful against a number of bad politicians who wanted to sacrifice the nation`s unity for their political interest.

"I am talking about the reality. Let us filter what is true from what is wrong. I see that the people nowadays have become increasingly smart and mature in politics," Jokowi stated here on Tuesday.

He noted that the people should not be influenced by bad politicians who fight for their short-term interest and sacrifice the nation`s unity, solidarity, and harmony.

Jokowi made the statement in connection with the government`s plan to provide funds for urban villages 2019, besides the village funds that had been provided since 2015.

"Be careful with this. There are a lot of good politicians, but many bad ones too," he added.

Yet, the head of state did not make it clear which ones he referred to as bad politicians.

Jokowi explained that people would always relate everything with politics. "While in fact, life does not only concern politics but also other factors such as social, economic and cultural sectors.

"Why should they all be linked to politics," he remarked.

Previously, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati revealed that the urban village funds allocated in 2019 reached Rp3 trillion derived from village funds which in 2019 were budgeted to amount to Rp73 trillion.

Village funds continue to increase from Rp60 trillion to Rp70 trillion according to the development and capacity of the village. But Indrawati explained that the distribution of the urban village fundsstill needed its own mechanism so that it would not double the distribution of village funds.

Reporting Desca Lidya Natalia
Editing by Andi Abdussalam

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Editor: Otniel Tamindael
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