The chairman of the Gerindra Party’s Jakarta chapter, Muhammad Taufik, who was once jailed for corruption, has emerged as a potential replacement for Sandiaga Uno, who has resigned from his position as deputy governor to join party patron Prabowo Subianto as his running mate in the 2019 presidential election.

Gerindra and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the political parties that supported Governor Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga in the 2017 gubernatorial election, have to pick a replacement for Sandiaga after he tendered his resignation on Friday to register as a vice presidential candidate at the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Gerindra spokesperson Andre Rosiade confirmed that Taufik was one of the names the party was considering for the open deputy governor slot.

“Taufik has the experience. He is the Gerindra Jakarta chairman. He is also a deputy speaker at the Jakarta Council. He gained good experience from the Anies-Sandiaga administration,” he told the press in front of the KPU on Friday. “I think he fits [the job] and will be able to cooperate with Anies.”

Article 35 of Law No. 23/2014 on regional administrations stipulates that, in the case of a vacancy in a deputy regional head post, a regional head should propose two candidates based on recommendations from political parties, with the final decision left to a local legislative council.

With 15 seats on the Jakarta Council, more than the PKS’ 11, Gerindra is seen as the party with the most sway in determining who gets the deputy governor seat.

Moreover, Sandiaga, who announced his resignation from his position in Gerindra, represented the party in the 2017 gubernatorial election.

Despite his experience and influence, Taufik has seen his share of problems.

He was declared guilty of corruption in a case surrounding the procurement of election materials in 2004 when he was the head of the Jakarta Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta). The court found that he had caused Rp 488 million (US$33,687) in state losses and he was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.

Taufik was recently removed from a list of legislative candidates for next year’s general election because of his graft record.

As stipulated in KPU Regulation No. 20/2018, political parties cannot be represented by individuals who have been convicted of corruption, sex crimes involving minors or drug trafficking.

PKS deputy secretary-general Abdul Hakim remained tight-lipped about the matter. “I haven’t been updated yet,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Speculation is rife that the PKS will nominate its secretary-general Mardani Ali Sera for deputy governor.

Elisa Sutanudjaja, executive director of the RUJAK Center for Urban Studies, said she was worried about whether Taufik would secure the post.

“I am worried because his track record in urban planning has never been clean, such as with the reclamation graft case,” she told the Post over the phone.

She added that she hoped the city administration would hire someone with no political affiliation to ensure real change takes place. “But it is only wishful thinking,” she said.

An urban planning expert from Trisakti University, Nirwono Joga, shared a similar opinion. “Sandiaga’s programs, such as the OK OCE [entrepreneurship program], OKE OTrip [transportation program] and the zero down-payment housing program, might be canceled,” he said. “These programs need a concept maker who is also professional executor, not a politician,” he added, referring to Sandiaga as the man behind many of the administration’s flagship programs.

Sandiaga said the programs would carry on as normal despite his departure. “God Willing, I am certain. Although the work is not yet done, I admit that. I was only [a deputy governor] for 10 months,” he told the press while announcing his resignation on Friday morning.

“However, I hope I created a foundation [for the projects]. Also, Pak governor really understands the programs because we designed them together.”

Anies said he promised that Sandiaga’s departure from City Hall would not affect any projects.

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