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Khofifah likely to compete against Gus Ipul for 3rd time
Signed up: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri (right) presents in Jakarta on Sunday a nomination document to Saifullah Yusuf (center), who will run in the East Java gubernatorial election with his running mate Abdullah Azwar Annas (left)
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span class="inline inline-center">Signed up: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri (right) presents in Jakarta on Sunday a nomination document to Saifullah Yusuf (center), who will run in the East Java gubernatorial election with his running mate Abdullah Azwar Annas (left). The party also announced the nomination of Nurdin Abdullah and Andi Sudirman Sulaiman for the South Sulawesi election.(Antara/Wahyu Putro)
The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Islam-based National Awakening Party (PKB) have sealed their political collaboration ahead of the 2018 East Java gubernatorial election, prompting many to call it yet another “watermelon” coalition.
The term refers to the signature colors of the PDI-P and PKB, which are red and green, respectively, and suggests that the partnership is, at its core, a PDI-P-led vehicle.
But PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri disagreed.
“I would agree if the watermelon was red on the outside and green inside,” the former president said at the party’s headquarters in Jakarta on Sunday.
Megawati made the statement after announcing that the PDI-P would support the nomination of East Java Deputy Governor Saifullah “Gus Ipul” Yusuf, a PKB member, as its East Java gubernatorial candidate.
Gus Ipul will likely compete against Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who has won support from the Golkar Party, the NasDem Party and the Hanura Party.
Among the 171 regions slated to elect new leaders next year are Indonesia’s most populated provinces: East Java, West Java, Central Java, and North Sumatra.
Political deals between parties cross provinces and the collaborations are expected to help shape the country’s political landscape ahead of the 2019 presidential race, experts have said.
The PDI-P’s much-awaited announcement seemed to have confirmed months of predictions over divided support from leaders and members of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nahdatul Ulama (NU).
Gus Ipul is a notable NU figure who was close to late former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid. Khofifah is the head of Muslimat NU, the organization’s women’s wing.
East Java is NU’s stronghold. Blessings from its clerics have always played a crucial role in winning votes in the province.
“I told [Gus Ipul] that he was like my ‘prodigal son,’ because he was a PDI-P member before he left us,” Megawati said.
Speculation has been rife that former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party and the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP) would also throw their support behind Khofifah, with Yudhoyono’s son Agus Harimurti, reportedly the strongest candidates touted to be Khofifah’s running mate.
Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham said the party had allowed Khofifah to choose her own running mate. As for Gus Ipul, the PDI-P and PKB selected popular Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas as his partner.
“East Java will be a battlefield. […] So, we nominated the best candidates,” Megawati emphasized.
This will be the third East Java gubernatorial race involving Gus Ipul and Khofifah. Only this time, the NU-linked PKB will leave Khofifah and shift toward Gus Ipul. The latter was once backed by the Dems, but the party will likely support Khofifah.
In 2008, the Khofifah-Mudjiono ticket, which was supported by the PKB, lost to the Soekarwo-Gus Ipul ticket, endorsed by the then-ruling Dems. In 2013, Soekarwo-Gus Ipul again beat Khofifah, who ran with Herman Sumawiredja.
NU leader Said Aqil Siradj said the organization would follow the suggestions of its clerics.
“In regard to the East Java [gubernatorial election], I will leave it to the leaders of NU’s pesantren [Islamic boarding schools] in the area,” Said said after a closed-door meeting with Megawati in Jakarta on Saturday.
Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, who appeared as one of the strongest contenders according to pollsters, admitted she had been asked to run by Megawati, but insisted she wanted to concentrate on further developing the East Java capital.
