TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Gerindra throws support behind Sandiaga Uno for Jakarta election
The Great Indonesia Movement Party has thrown its support behind businessman Sandiaga Uno for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial race after Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil announced that he would not run for the capital's top post.
Change Size
Businessman Sandiaga Uno (left) welcomes national racer Rio Haryanto at the Recapital building in Jakarta on Feb. 16. The Gerindra Party has included Sandiaga among its top potential candiates to run in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial race. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf) (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
T
he Great Indonesia Movement Party has thrown its support behind businessman Sandiaga Uno for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial race after Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil announced that he would not run for the capital's top post.
Gerindra deputy chairman Habiburohkhman praised Sandiaga and Ridwan, calling them "successful professionals, humble and well-mannered people."
Ridwan announced on Monday that he would stay in Bandung until the end of his tenure in 2018 and would not participate in the 2017 Jakarta regional election despite strong support from Gerindra.
Ridwan gained popularity after becoming mayor of Bandung in West Java. Along with current Jakarta governor, Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, and Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, Ridwan has been mentioned among popular potential candidates.
However, Gerinda is convinced that Sandiago has what it takes to beat Ahok in the election, Habiburokhman said.
The party, established by former Army general Prabowo Subianto, is still in the process of selecting other potential candidates, he added.
Among Gerindra’s potential candidates are assistant to the defense minister, Sjafrie Syamsuddin, Jakarta city secretary Saefullah, Gerindra secretary-general Ahmad Muzani, Gerindra lawmaker Biem Banjamin and Gerindra city councilors Mohamad Sanusi and M. Taufik.
The party will carry out a survey in April and May to recruit other potential candidates.
Ahok was backed by Gerindra in the 2012 regional election when he was paired with then gubernatorial candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
Ahok remains the most popular candidate among other names, recent surveys say, pointing out public support for the former East Belitung regent.
Ahok left the party in 2014 in protest of the party's backing of the Red-and-White Coalition and claimed himself an independent candidate in the 2017 gubernatorial race.
Separately, Ahok said that he remained on good terms with Gerindra but was focusing on the support garnered by Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok), a group supporting his independent candidacy.
"I highly appreciate Teman Ahok. But things are getting complicated as they now have to fill out the deputy governor space as well," he said on Tuesday.
He has proposed that his current deputy, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who is a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), join him in the independent candidacy.
"If Djarot opts against running then Teman Ahok will propose another name," he told journalists, adding that should Djarot refuse, he would prefer choosing a civil servant from the city administration as his running mate. (rin)
