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Risma, Marzuki emerge as Khofifah’s likely challengers in East Java race
Former Surabaya mayor Tri “Risma” Rismaharini and prominent Muslim cleric Marzuki Mustamar have emerged as viable contenders in the East Java election as their potential backers intensify talks to join forces to challenge the possible reelection bid of popular former governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa.
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A pedestrian walks on Dec. 5, 2023, near election campaign banners in Surabaya, East Java. Candidates for the 2024 presidential and legislative elections have been putting up campaign banners across the city since the official campaign period started on Nov. 28, 2023. (Antara/Didik Suhartono)
Former Surabaya mayor Tri “Risma” Rismaharini and prominent Muslim cleric Marzuki Mustamar have emerged as viable contenders in the East Java election as their potential backers intensify talks to join forces to challenge the possible reelection bid of popular former governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa.
Talks have been underway between the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) to form an alliance for the November race as the two parties want to prevent Khofifah from running uncontested.
The PKB and PDI-P are the two largest parties in the province. But unlike the PKB, the PDI-P does not have enough seats in the provincial legislature to be eligible to register a candidate pair alone without forming an alliance.
PDI-P East Java office head Said Abdullah suggested last week that he would soon have a sit down with his counterpart in the PKB to finalize a pact between the two parties to jointly back a candidate pair for the election.
The PDI-P has touted Risma, who currently serves as social affairs minister, among the strong candidates it was considering nominating to run in the East Java gubernatorial election.
The PKB, which was founded by members of the country’s largest Muslim group Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has been considering nominating Marzuki Mustamar, a prominent Muslim figure and former head of the NU East Java chapter.
“[Talks] with the PKB have been going well so far. Muhaimin and I are open [to a potential partnership],” Abdullah was quoted as saying on his office website, referring to PKB chairman Muhaimin Iskandar.
