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Ahmad Dhani thinks he is too poor to run for governor
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Ahmad Dhani believes popularity is not enough to win an election. (Kompas.com/Tri Susanto Setiawan)
A
hmad Dhani has decided against running for governor in Jakarta’s gubernatorial election next year, because he believes becoming a governor “requires more cash”.
Dhani, frontman of the band Dewa 19, believes popularity alone is not enough for him to campaign on. “There’s one thing that I don’t have yet aside from popularity and electability, which is money,” he said to Kompas.
Dhani’s statement appears to stand in contrast to a recent survey by Populi Center. Based on research by the non-governmental organization, Dhani would be a formidable contender if he took part in the election and would find himself in tight competition with incumbent Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. The survey, conducted this month, placed Dhani in second position in terms of popularity with an approval rating of 96 percent, while Ahok tops the list at 98.5 percent.
Given his misgivings about his financial capacity to run for governor, Dhani appears to have set his sights on the deputy position instead. “If we’re talking about the deputy [governor] position, I’m still convinced I’ll win,” he said. (AW)
