Joko Widodo Defends Buffalo-Head Ritual Amid Calls to Lead PSI Party

President Joko Widodo confirmed that the act of stepping on a buffalo head during a traditional ceremony in Lampung is a long‑standing cultural ritual, saying, "Itu ritual adat, sekali lagi itu ritual adat yang sudah tidak sekali dua kali, yang sudah ratusan kali dilakukan." He urged the public not to politicise the ceremony.

At the same time, members of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) in South Kalimantan formally requested that Jokowi be appointed as Chairman of the Party’s Supervisory Board. Party official Mustohir Arifin told PSI chair Kaesang Pangarep, "Kami sepakat ... meminta Bapak H. Ir. Joko Widodo segera dilantik menjadi Ketua Dewan Pembina DPP PSI."

Both the cultural defence and the party’s nomination were discussed at PSI’s regional coordination meeting, highlighting Jokowi’s continued influence in political and cultural arenas ahead of the 2029 elections.