J

akarta Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo brought along his deputy, Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama, on his regular blusukan for the first time, fueling speculation that Jokowi was prepping Ahok for the governor job should Jokowi run for president and presumably win.

The governor has made blusukan (the Javanese term for an impromptu visit) his trademark, but it was a new experience for Ahok, who spends most of his time at the office. As a result, according to Ahok'€™s personal assistant, a number of meetings scheduled for Thursday had to be pushed back.

The leaders, accompanied by a number of high-ranking officials, left the office at around 10 a.m. and inspected a number of city projects, including the kampung deret (village of row houses) in Petogogan, South Jakarta, and the Ciplak and Cipayung markets in East Jakarta.

Donning brown batik shirts, both looked in synch during the occasion, even exchanging jokes.

'€œFortunately, today is a cloudy day and I don'€™t do this often. Otherwise my skin would get darker,'€ Ahok said, to which Jokowi immediately responded, '€œOnly once a year.'€

Jokowi declined to elaborate on the reason for Ahok joining, saying only, '€œIt was both of our idea. We need to check up on things in the field. We do things together all the time.'€

Ahok said he needed to leave the office occasionally and directly monitor city projects in the field.

Previously, Ahok has said that his job was to deliver on city projects and plans initiated by Jokowi.

'€œIt was tiring. Traffic jams were everywhere,'€ Ahok said upon arriving back at City Hall at around 4 p.m.

When asked whether the outing indicated Jokowi was prepping Ahok to take over as governor, Ahok joked, '€œWhy don'€™t you see us as potential presidential and vice presidential candidates?'€

Jokowi, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, has topped every credible poll of potential presidential candidates, though party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who controls the nomination decision, has yet to
announce the party'€™s candidate.

University of Indonesia political psychologist Hamdan Muluk said that Jokowi and Ahok'€™s outing could be interpreted in many ways. '€œOnly God knows. In politics, we are free to interpret a politician'€™s move,'€ he said.

'€œIt could also have simply been pragmatic, that they needed to visit city projects together.'€

Following rumors that Jokowi will be nominated as the PDI-P'€™s presidential candidate, security measures for the governor have been increased. Double the number of bodyguards now accompany him on his impromptu visits, and one is fully armed.

Jokowi'€™s revelation that his home had been bugged made headlines last week, driving media to bring up past security threats to the governor.

A case was reported of when a speed boat scheduled to take Jokowi to Thousand Islands exploded a few hours before he arrived.