Jokowi Dismisses Term Extension Plan as Thousands Set to Protest

Indonesian President Joko Widodo appeared to dismiss a plan floated by senior cabinet official to extend his time in office as thousands of university students are set to protest in Jakarta over the move along with the rising costs of basic goods.

Rumors have persisted for months that the leader known as Jokowi could seek to amend the constitution to run for a third term after the pandemic sidetracked his ambitious infrastructure agenda, including the construction a brand new capital in Borneo. While he remains popular with voters, the issue could create discord within certain sections of the population concerned about a return to an era of former president Suharto who ruled for three decades with an iron fist until his ouster in 1998.