The residents of Depok in West Java and South Tangerang in Banten are set to have new leaders in the near future as their Regional General Election Commissions (KPUD) approved on Monday the nomination of every registered mayoralty candidate.

In Depok the Depok General Election Commission (KPUD) approved the candidacy of Idris Abdul Somad and his running mate Pradi Supriatna, endorsed by the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), as well as Dimas Oky Nugroho and his running mate Babai Suhaimi of the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

The pairs represent contrasting views of the city, with Dimas and Babai claiming to represent young people who believe that there were several basic changes that should be made in Depok, while Idris and Pradi said they were ready to continue the successful status quo of the current administration.

Having held the deputy mayor office for the last five years, Idris called the current administration a success and emphasized that continuing the programs of the last five years would be his pledge in the upcoming campaign.

'€œThere are a lot of good programs under the administration led by Pak Nur Mahmudi Ismail [current Depok mayor] and me. For example, providing several 24-hour puskesmas [community health centers],'€ Idris told The Jakarta Post on Monday. '€œI want Depok to be more excellent, comfortable and religious,'€ he said.

On the other side, Dimas said Depok needs a lot of policy changes. According to Dimas, he and Babai considered that the fragmentation of Depok society was increasing every day.

Dimas said that as a multicultural and multi-ethnic city, Depok needed to give its residents more space to gather and communicate instead of the shopping malls that have been mushrooming in every corner of the city.

On Monday, the South Tangerang General KPUD had also agreed on the candidacy of Airin Rachmi Diany and Benyamin Davnie, Ikhsan Modjo and Li Claudia Chandra and Arsid and Elvier Ariadiannie Soedarto Poetri for the South Tangerang mayoral election.

Airin-Benyamin are endorsed by among others the Golkar Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), PKS and the United Development Party (PPP). Ikhsan Modjo and Li Claudia Chandra are endorsed by
the Democratic Party and the Gerindra Party. Arsid and Elvier Ariadiannie Soedarto Poetri are endorsed by the PDI-P and the Hanura Party. (agn)

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