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Anies may challenge Ahok
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Red coat: Megawati Soekarnoputri (left), chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), helped by Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, puts a red jacket on Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama during their registration at the Jakarta Election Commission in Jakarta on Wednesday. Ahok and Djarot are running mates on the party’s ticket in the elections to seek their second term in office. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
R
enowned Muslim scholar Anies Baswedan, once an ally of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo before his ouster from the Cabinet in July, has emerged as a possible rival to Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in the 2017 gubernatorial election.
Hours after the Ahok-Djarot Saiful Hidayat pair registered at the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD Jakarta), leaders of political parties that do not want to see Ahok extend his term in the capital scrambled to find a candidate with a reasonable chance of defeating the incumbent.
The parties, known as the Kinship Coalition, have agreed that given Ahok’s popularity and the substantial support he has now received from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the city’s largest party, fielding more than one pair of candidates is not an option.
The coalition divided once the PDI-P signaled its decision to back Ahok. One faction within the alliance, comprising the Gerindra Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), wanted the coalition to support businessman Sandiaga Uno.
The other faction, comprising the United Development Party (PPP), National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Democratic Party (PD), had been seeking another alternative and has come up with two names: Anies Baswedan and Yusril Ihza Mahendra.
Gerindra and the PKS have now said they are open to the possibility of dropping Sandiaga’s nomination and endorsing anyone supported by the other members of the Kinship Coalition. “We agree [to unite]. So, the parties can consolidate to find a candidate to challenge Ahok. It’s better to have a head-to-head competition,” Gerindra deputy chairman Desmond J. Mahesa said.
On Wednesday night, the leaders of the PPP, PAN, PKB and PD gathered at the residence of PD chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java. At the time of going to press, the parties had yet to decide whether they would endorse Anies or Yusril.
Anies, a former culture and education minister in Jokowi’s administration, has been touted as the strongest candidate to beat Ahok. The former rector of Paramadina University is widely respected as an academic who has often spoken in international forums about the role of Islam in Indonesian democracy.
Anies, who has never been a member of any political party, became very close to politicians at the PD, including Yudhoyono, after he received an invitation from the party to take part in candidate selection for the 2014 presidential election.
Anies was replaced by Muhadjir Effendy in Jokowi’s Cabinet reshuffle in July.
Yusril, meanwhile, is the chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), a minor political party claiming to being the heir of Masyumi, the nation’s largest Islamic party during the Sukarno era.
PKB secretary-general Daniel Johan agreed that Anies would be a strong alternative to beat Ahok, but added that the final decision would likely be made on Thursday.
“Sandiaga and Anies are among two hopefuls we will discuss tonight. The point is, we want a strong alternative figure,” Daniel said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ahok and Djarot went to the KPUD office with officials from the political parties that have endorsed them.
Wearing a checkered shirt with sleeves rolled up, Ahok appeared to want to remind PDI-P supporters that he was continuing the legacy of Jokowi, whose running mate he was during the 2012 election.
“We want to continue the development programs I and Jokowi have set forward since 2012. We hope we can continue them,” Ahok said.
Ahok is not simply trying to create a political drama in order to attract Jokowi supporters by manipulating their perception into thinking that he is the same as Jokowi, said Pelita Harapan University political communication expert Emrus Sihombing.
“I think that is clear, and he actually said this, that he wanted to continue what Jokowi has done in Jakarta so far,” Emrus told The Jakarta Post. “And we can see Ahok’s programs have been [very much the same as] Jokowi’s.”
Like Jokowi-Ahok in the past, Ahok-Djarot have also been nominated by a coalition led by the PDI-P. Other members in Ahok-Djarot’s coalition include the Golkar Party, the Hanura Party and the NasDem Party.
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