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Jakarta governor candidates battle for Betawi support
Jakarta governor candidate Ridwan Kamil is mounting a challenge to his biggest rival in the race in appealing to the Betawi people, Jakarta’s native ethnic group, through campaign promises and discussions geared toward cultural preservation and giving the community more widespread recognition.
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The candidate pairs for the governor and deputy governor of Jakarta, Ridwan Kamil and Suswono (left), Dharma Pongrekun and Kun Wardana (center),and Pramono Anung and Rano Karno gesture on Oct. 6, 2024, during the first election debate at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, North Jakarta. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
Jakarta governor candidate Ridwan Kamil is mounting a challenge to his biggest rival in the race in appealing to the Betawi people, Jakarta’s native ethnic group, through campaign promises and discussions geared toward cultural preservation and giving the community more widespread recognition.
Ridwan, a West Java native and a former governor of the province, is running alongside Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Suswono on the ticket of a big electoral alliance, the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM).
They are up against Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) candidate Pramono Anung – a former cabinet secretary – and running mate Rano Karno, a former Banten governor who has been closely associated with Betawi culture for decades, and independent candidate Dharma Pongrekun and running mate Kun Wardana.
During the first election debate on Sunday, Ridwan said that he would prioritize the development of the Betawi culture in Jakarta should he win the election.
“Jakarta is indeed the hub of all cultures, but we will of course prioritize developing the Betawi culture since its [Jakarta’s] local [culture],” Ridwan said.
Dharma, a former police general, meanwhile, said that he would preserve the Betawi culture among local youths through its inclusion in school curriculums – a policy also endorsed by the Ridwan-Suswono pair.
Pramono, on the other hand, plans to introduce an award named after the late Benyamin Sueb – the multi-talented Betawi artist who was a comedian, actor, director and composer.
