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Kadin’s unusual race
Reports have it that Anindya was a clear frontrunner before the election was postponed.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo speaks at the closing ceremony of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) leadership meeting in Jakarta on Nov. 28, 2018. (Antara/Wahyu Putro A)
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eports of government intervention are an unwanted prelude to the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (Kadin) chairmanship race, which is scheduled for this week. While it is quite normal for the government to have a preference of who should helm such an influential group as Kadin, the question is whether it has to force its will if, in the end, whoever wins the race will remain a key partner.
If there is any indication of the government’s partiality toward a specific candidate for Kadin's top post, Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi and Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia have openly campaigned for Arsjad Rasjid, president director of publicly listed coal miner Indika Energy, who will face Anindya Novyan Bakrie, the president director of holding company Bakrie & Brothers and the eldest son of senior Golkar Party politician Aburizal Bakrie.
To further spark allegations of intervention, outgoing Kadin chairman Rosan Perkasa Roslani decided to move back and relocate the national meeting to elect his successor, citing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s request for a delay over COVID-19 concerns. Originally, the meeting was slated for June 2-4 in Bali but is now scheduled for June 30 in the Southeast Sulawesi capital of Kendari. The organizing committee had booked 2,000 hotel rooms for participants in Bali.
Speculation has also been rife that certain officials with the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) have contacted several Kadin members to convince them to vote for Arsjad. A Kadin member has confirmed the move to The Jakarta Post, but BIN spokesman Wawan Hari Purwanto has denied all claims of BIN's involvement in the election.
Reports have it that Anindya was a clear frontrunner before the election was postponed. This should actually come as no surprise given the fact that Anindya, currently a Kadin deputy chairman for organization, membership and regional empowerment affairs, has been active in the business lobby group for 15 years. Arsjad, on the other hand, has been involved in Kadin activities for only the last two years.
Nevertheless, the government’s attempt to meddle with the internal affairs of certain organizations, overtly or covertly, is not without precedent. It is safe to say that whoever is chosen to lead a prominent organization, be it a political party or a mass group, needs the government’s blessing.
Lest we forget, the then-newly formed government of President Jokowi and former vice president Jusuf Kalla took a year to finally bring Golkar — then an opposition force under Aburizal — into the ruling coalition. With post-Aburizal Golkar shifting allegiance, Jokowi gained the upper hand in the House of Representatives.
Both Anindya and Arsjad are seasoned businessmen who are fit for the top job at Kadin. As part of his campaign platform Anindya, vows to strengthen Kadin’s institutional and human resource capacity to become a strong partner for the government. Arsjad, on the other hand, wants to focus on turning Kadin into a more inclusive group, particularly to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Political interference, especially from the government, will only distort the realization of these campaign promises — for whoever emerges as the winner. The role of Kadin as the government’s strategic partner will be more crucial than ever as the country aims to recover after the pandemic subsides. So, just let the best candidate win.
