TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Legendary rock band throws weight behind Ganjar-Mahfud pair

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Jakarta
Sun, January 21, 2024

Share This Article

Change Size

Legendary rock band throws weight behind Ganjar-Mahfud pair Rock band Slank performs in the M20 (Music20) concert at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. (YouTube/DSS Music)
Indonesia Decides

Indonesia’s biggest rock band, Slank, has come out in support of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo and his running mate Mahfud MD, apparently out of concern over President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s attempts to influence the race that will determine his successor.

After backing Jokowi in the last two presidential elections, the members of Slank declared on Saturday that they were supporting the Ganjar-Mahfud pair this year. The candidates are competing against presidential front-runner Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

“It's very easy to choose [whom to support for] the next president these days by looking at the recent maneuvers,” said Slank’s guitarist Ridho in a press conference at the band’s headquarters in Jakarta. “For me personally, [we] cannot lose hope, and that’s why we put our hope in Ganjar and Mahfud.”

Ridho did not say what the maneuvers were or who the band felt was making them, but recently the Constitutional Court issued a ruling, under circumstances later determined by an oversight body to have been ethically compromised, that carved out an exception to candidate age requirements that allowed 36-year-old Gibran to run for vice president.

Jokowi is barred from running for a third term, but he has openly acknowledged that he is seeking to play kingmaker in the election and wants a candidate who will carry forward his flagship programs.

Civil groups and the camps of Prabowo’s two rivals for the presidency have objected to what they say is Jokowi’s undue marshaling of support for the Prabowo-Gibran ticket. This includes when, prior to the last election debate earlier this month, the President hosted a private dinner with Prabowo and met separately with two other party leaders in Prabowo’s camp.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Legendary rock band throws weight behind Ganjar-Mahfud pair

Rp 29,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 29,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.