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Yenny chooses not to run in East Java race

The Gerindra Party is looking for candidates for the East Java gubernatorial election after it failed to secure as its nominee Yenny Wahid, the daughter of former president and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abudurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Wahyoe Boediwardhana (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta/Surabaya
Thu, January 4, 2018

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Yenny chooses not to run in East Java race

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he Gerindra Party is looking for candidates for the East Java gubernatorial election after it failed to secure as its nominee Yenny Wahid, the daughter of former president and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abudurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid.

Yenny was seen by many a strong candidate that would have been able to put up a good fight in the race in the province, which is known as an NU stronghold with two other NU figures — Saifullah “Gus Ipul” Yusuf and Khofifah Indar Parawansa — set to contest.

After a closed-door meeting with Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto at his private residence in South Jakarta on Wednesday evening, Yenny announced she would not run as a gubernatorial candidate in the country’s second-most populous province.

“We, the Gus Dur family, have a historical responsibility, including in ensuring that communication among NU supporters is not divided. We can’t join the political contest,” Yenny said.

On the same occasion, Prabowo said he accepted the decision of Yenny, whom he referred to as a “prominent national figure with expansive knowledge.”

“I was sad, but what could I do? She did not receive approval from her family. I respected [her decision],” he said.

Yenny has been following in the footsteps of Gus Dur, who was known as a champion of pluralism and representative of moderate Muslims. Yenny is currently the leader of rights group Wahid Institute, which promotes a plural and peaceful Islam.

Gus Dur was the founder of the National Awakening Party (PKB), the party at the House of Representatives with the largest NU constituency.

The PKB, however, along with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), declared its support for Gus Ipul and deputy candidate Abdullah Azwar Anas.

Both parties have massive grassroots support in East Java.

With the General Elections Commission (KPU) set to open candidate registration on Monday the clock is ticking for Gerindra, which has to come up with a name to challenge Gus Ipul as well as the Khofifah-Emil Dardak ticket, which was endorsed by the Golkar Party, the Democratic Party, the NasDem Party and the United Development Party (PPP), a Muslim-based party.

Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) political researcher Arya Fernandes said it made sense for Gerindra to have eyed Yenny, because she was a popular figure who would be able to give Gus Ipul and Khofifah a run for their money.

“She also already has a link to Gerindra because her husband was a member of the party. Her status as the daughter of Gus Dur allowed her to have a large influence over the hearts of the Nahdilyin [NU supporters],”
Arya said.

Anwar Sadad from Gerindra’s East Java office said in addition to Yenny, the party was considering as its nominee former Constitutional Court chairman and NU member Mahfud MD, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) East Java chairman La Nyalla Mattalitti and musician-turned-politician Anang Hermansyah.

Although Gerindra has yet to form a coalition in East Java, speculation was rife that it would team up with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Mandate Party (PAN), following the pattern of coalitions seen in West Java, Central Java and North Sumatra.

Unlike the more inclusive Muslim-based PKB, both the PKS and PAN carry a large base of conservative Muslims.

Arya said she expected Gerindra, the PKS and PAN to form a permanent coalition ahead of the 2019 general election, with the three parties potentially working together in several other regional elections, including in highly populated provinces, such as West Java, Central Java and North Sumatra. (kmt)

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