Talks over the next state leadership have started to take up a significant portion of national media platforms, even though the presidential election was only less than three months ago, and the elected pair for the next five years has not even been inaugurated. Above all the widely tipped traits of an expected victorious candidate, young age is apparently the subject of the discourse. The Jakarta Post’s Fachrul Sidiq, Novan Iman Santosa, Imanuddin Razak and Semarang correspondent Suherdjoko take a closer look at the issue.


The battle for state leadership in the 2024 presidential election will be among [some] governors and regional leaders,” said one veteran politician in an event recently. He did not explain in detail his hypothesis, nor pro-vide a comprehensive argument on his statement.

However, at least this senior politician has some reasonable grounds that are undisputable. The reelected Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who will be inaugurated along with his vice president-elect Ma’ruf Amin in October, will certainly not contest the 2024 election due to a constitutional limitation that regulates a president can only serve a maximum two terms in office.

Ma’ruf himself is already 76 years old this year and it is very unlikely that he will run in 2024 when he will be 81.

An exception will perhaps be Prabowo Subianto, who challenged Jokowi in the 2014 and this year’s presidential election. Prabowo is 67 years old this year and will be 72 in 2024.

It remains to be seen whether he will run for a third time. Debates about the presidency post-Jokowi have been divided into a dichotomy between young and old candidates.

Many expect young candidates to contest the next presidential election. While there is no clear and rigid limitation about age range that is categorized as “young” and another as “old”, discourse about the presidential candidacy in the 2024 election have also expanded to candidates who are defined as “fresh”, in reference to new names, to differentiate them from those who have participated in previous presidential elections.

In view of the loose term of “young” candidates, the term “fresh” in this case is not specifically associated with a certain age group, such as those in their 30s or 40s, as it will open an opportunity for candidates who are older.

As usual, however, debates about limiting the candidacy to young and fresh presidential candidates will always be challenged by the undisputed constitutional mantra that contestation for public posts, including the presidency, is open to anyone of any age group.

As the 2019 presidential election was only recently held and the new duet of state leadership has yet to be inaugurated, discourse about who will contest the election in 2024 has been labeled by many politicians and observers as premature.

Such an understatement is perhaps true for an experienced candidate attempting another bid for the presidency.

However, it will not be the case for those aiming to contest the election for the first time.

“I think it is good for these [young] candidates to introduce themselves to the public as early as possible,” said Teguh Yuwono, a political observer at the Semarang-based Diponegoro University (Undip), in a recent interview.

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A recently released survey by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) on potential presidential candidates for the 2024 race is evidence that these candidates — or the political parties they are affiliate with — already have a head start.

To name a few, LSI mentioned West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa as potential candidates. Others include National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri’s daughter, Puan Maharani, and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. The LSI also included Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, National Police chief Tito Kar-navian, former the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gatot Nurmantyo and Prabowo.

Apart from Prabowo, who has contested the last two presidential elections, several of these candidates have established election campaign teams. Others have their own “media” team to promote themselves.

Yet, these figures cannot declare themselves candidates on their own initiative in the absence of support from political parties, as regulated under the 2017 law on general elections and the 2008 law on presidential and vice presidential elections.

As a consequence of the 20 percent presidential threshold regulated in the law on general elections — unless it is not reviewed ahead of the 2024 election — a maximum three pairs of presidential-vice presidential candi-dates can contest the next election. The last two presidential elections, however, only saw two pairs of candidates.

As a result of the 2019 legislative election, the top three earners were the PDI-P, which secured 27,053,961 votes (19.33 percent), followed by the Gerindra Party with 17,594,839 votes (12.57 percent) at second and the Golkar Party in third with 17,229,789 votes (12.31 percent). These political parties have the potential to establish three coalitions of political parties to contest the 2024 presidential election.

Teguh was of the opinion that the PDI-P had the benefit as the top earner in nominating its own members, although it would still need other political parties to form a strong government.

“If compared with other political parties, the PDI-P is lucky to have more than one member as potentially strong presidential and vice presidential candidates,” said the Undip political observer.

Besides naming Ganjar a potential candidate from the PDI-P, Teguh also mentioned Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini and former Kulon Progo regent Hasto Wardoyo, who was recently appointed head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) by President Jokowi, as strong candidates from the PDI-P.

Ganjar, who has been tipped as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election, dismissed the speculation that those publicly mentioned potential figures would have the luxury of securing tickets for the presidential race.

“Member recruitment and promotion in the PDI-P is very unique. Anyone can be declared a potential candidate but when it comes to official nominations for the presidential election, it will be decided by party chairwoman [Megawati Soekaroputri] herself,” the governor told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview at his residence in Semarang, Central Java.

“So in the case of the PDI-P, let’s just wait for the party’s official decision by Ibu Mega,” he added, while referring to Megawati Soekarnoputri’s nickname.

Meanwhile, for the rest of the potential candidates, the final decision on who will eventually be declared candidates in the 2024 presidential election will apparently depend on the final number of political party coalitions established for the next election.

One thing for sure is that not all of those publicly declared potential candidates will become the eventual eligible candidates as there will only be a maximum of two remaining tickets available for grabs for those figures after the first one is already taken for a PDI-P candidate.


Level playing field for young candidates in 2024 presidential poll

By: Fachrul Sidiq
The Jakarta Post/ Jakarta

With President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo securing his second and final presidential term, all eyes are on young and potential candidates for the next presidential and vice presidential election in 2024.

Though possibilities for other candidates to run are wide open, including unpopular names, here are some potential names — either as presidential or vice presidential candidates — that have emerged to the surface.

Sandiaga Uno

The 50-year-old businessman-turned-politician quickly made a name for himself on the political landscape shortly after he became the running mate of Anies Baswedan in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Less than a year after becoming deputy Jakarta governor, Sandiaga resigned and became the running mate of Prabowo Subianto to challenge Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin in the April 17 presidential election.

Although his bid was unsuccessful, he earned a head start for the upcoming election after garnering more than 44 percent of the vote along with Prabowo.

In 2016, Sandiaga was listed in the Panama Papers, a series of leaked documents containing information about individuals with wealth parked in offshore company structures. He did not deny the substance of the documents but claimed that he had always been a compliant taxpayer.

Anies Baswedan

Being the top man in the Indonesian capital as Jakarta governor has given Anies, 50, the exposure he needs on his quest to advance his political career. Although, he has yet to express his intention to run in the next presidential election, political analysts believe Anies has his eyes set on the country’s top seat.

The former education minister along with his running mate Sandiaga Uno won the Jakarta election in 2017 to dethrone Basuki “BTP” Tjahaja Purnama in the highly divisive poll, which was plagued by religious and racial sentiments. BTP, who was also known as Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, was found guilty of blasphemy for a comment he made regarding with a verse in the Quran during a working visit to Thousand Islands regency.

Ridwan Kamil

Leading Indonesia’s most populous province of West Java is believed to be an electoral advantage for Ridwan Kamil, 47, a former mayor of Bandung who is also popular on social media and among youth communities in the West Java capital.

Bringing betterment for the province known as a religiously conservative area will be a test for the former architect to pave his way for the country’s top spot.

Backed by the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the NasDem Party and Hanura Party, Ridwan and his running mate Uu Ruzhaul Ulum won the gubernatorial election in 2018 after securing nearly 33 percent of the vote.

Ganjar Pranowo

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician is known for bringing bureaucratic reform during his leadership as Central Java governor. He won a second term after securing 58.7 percent of the vote in 2018.

Ganjar, 50, was implicated in a corruption case revolving around the procurement of e-ID cards during his time as a lawmaker at the House of Representative. Ganjar, however, strongly denied the accusation.

Tri Rismaharini

Tri Rismaharini, 57, a PDI-P politician affectionately known as Risma, is completing her second term as the mayor of Surabaya, the second-largest city in the country. She is the first female mayor of the city and is well-known for her revolutionary move to beautify the city.

As a public servant figure, Risma has won praise as well as criticism for her performance and service to Surabaya and its people. In October last year, she was awarded by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) for her “people-centered and all inclusive” policies in the East Java city. In 2015, the mayor was named one of the world’s 50 greatest leaders by American business magazine Fortune.

Also in 2015, she won the prestigious Bung Hatta anticorruption award at home. Earlier in February 2014, she was named world mayor of the month by the London-based City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank dedicated to urban affairs.

Her move to close the largest and oldest brothel in the city has won praise but also drawn criticism, citing that the move has forced many sex workers to work in unregulated and more dangerous conditions.

Hasto Wardoyo

Hasto Wardoyo, 55, is perhaps the least popular PDI-P member. However, his recent appointment by president Jokowi as the head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), leaving his previous position as the regent of Kulon Progo in Yogyakarta, which he had held twice since being directly elected in 2011, is considered by many as a political boost for his political career.

Prior to his rise to prominence as a politician, he was known as a general practitioner and entrepreneur in the medical field.

In 2012, he earned praise for introducing an innovation to improve the economy in Kulon Progo by requiring students and civil servants there to buy products and services offered by the domestic market.

Bima Arya Sugiarto

Bima Arya, 46, has been the mayor of Bogor in West Java since 2014 and recently won the election to reassume office for the second time. Prior to being a politician, Arya was also a political lecturer and analyst.

Under his leadership, the city was named among the most intolerant cities by Setara rights group in 2015 for its failure to protect the religious freedom of minority groups. However, after showing improvement, the city was removed from the list in 2018.

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono

Known as AHY, 40, the eldest son of former president and Democratic Party patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, made a surprising move in 2016 when he resigned from military after 16 years of service while holding the rank of major to run in the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

While he was unsuccessful on his quest and finished third in the race, many analysts believe that he had obtained electoral exposure and could earn a brighter political career given his age.

Apart from the names on the list, many observers believe the race is wide open for other young potential candi-dates, such as Khofifah Indar Parawansa, the governor of East Java, Puan Maharani, the coordinating human development and culture minister and daughter of PDI-P chairwoman and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, and Muhaimin Iskandar, the chairman of the PKB.

Other popular names, including former Indonesian Military commander Gen. (ret) Gatot Nurmantyo and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, who has contested the presidential election twice, still have the potential to be candidates.

Stronger together
Stronger together: The spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) is promoted after a meeting attended by (from left) South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Zulkiflimansyah, Yudhoyono Institute executive director Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, South Tangerang Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany, East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak and Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar at Balai Kirti Presidential Museum in Bogor, West Java. (Tribunnews)
Writers : Fachrul Sidiq, Novan Iman Santosa, Imanuddin Razak, Suherdjoko
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