Jakarta. Former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has dismissed allegations made by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which included his name in its 2024 nominations for figures linked to organized crime and corruption. Jokowi urged critics to present evidence to back their claims.

“Corruption? What corruption? What’s the proof? Just prove it,” Jokowi told reporters on Tuesday at his residence in Solo, Central Java.

The former mayor of Solo labeled the allegations as baseless and part of an ongoing trend of malicious framing and slander. “There’s so much slander, malicious framing, and baseless accusations nowadays. That’s what’s happening,” he said.

Jokowi also suggested the nomination could have political undertones and encouraged reporters to direct such questions to OCCRP. “Just ask them [OCCRP]. People can now use any platform—NGOs, political parties, or organizations—to make accusations and create harmful narratives,” he added.

The nomination has drawn criticism from political analysts in Indonesia. Adi Prayitno, Director of Parameter Politik Indonesia (PPI), expressed doubts about the methodology used by OCCRP. “How is this measured? That’s the problem,” he said in an interview with Beritasatu.com. Adi emphasized that Jokowi, who previously served as Jakarta governor and Solo mayor, has been regarded as a clean leader with consistently high approval ratings.

“Jokowi has always been viewed as clean. His approval ratings have been sky-high,” said Adi, who also teaches at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. He acknowledged, however, that the inclusion of Jokowi’s name in the list would inevitably spark controversy. “Whatever the case, this will certainly provoke debate,” he added.

OCCRP is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization headquartered in Amsterdam. It publishes stories on organized crime and corruption and compiles an annual "person of the year" list, highlighting individuals who have significantly influenced these issues.

For 2024, the title was awarded to recently ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Other nominees included Kenyan President William Ruto, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, and Jokowi himself.

Founded in 2007 by investigative journalists Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu, OCCRP collaborates with media outlets worldwide to expose corruption and advocate for public accountability. The organization has grown into a global force in investigative journalism, operating across six continents.