Anies Baswedan (JP/Seto Wardhana)

Starting his career as a Muslim scholar, Anies Baswedan has established himself as a politician and a bureaucrat over the past four years. The former rector of Jakarta-based Paramadina University was appointed as the education minister in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first Cabinet. Now serving as Jakarta governor, he finds that implementing policy is more than just an intellectual exercise, but rather an evolving process that involves many different actors. In his interview with The Jakarta Post’s Ivany Atina Arbi, Adisti Sukma Sawitri and Nezar Patria, Anies responds to criticism against his policies.

Question: What is your vision for Jakarta ?

Answer: I’m hoping that Jakarta becomes a city that provides opportunities for everyone. A city that is progressive yet brings happiness to its residents.

This city is the place where all commitments about the nation are made. Very near to [City Hall], less than two kilometers away, that’s where the Constitution was written.

Major commitments about this republic were made in the city. And therefore we have to make sure that every commitment to and every promise of independence is delivered in this very city. That’s why our vision is to bring social justice to Jakarta and make sure that it is upheld.

Inequality is one of the biggest challenges in Jakarta. This is a city where unity needs to be addressed through social justice, through our policies that truly think about equal opportunity.

What will you do with the street vendors on Jl. Jatibaru in Tanah Abang?

So our idea is that [first] we move the street vendors from the pedestrian area into the street and free up the sidewalk simply for pedestrians to walk. And then the vendors are moved to one lane of the street. The other lane is for the shuttle buses that circle the trading center of Tanah Abang.

Having street vendors on the street is a solution that is not new. Closing a street is nothing new. In Jakarta it’s done everywhere. If you look at Sutan Syahrir street near the British Embassy, the street has been blocked for many years. No complaints. Every Sunday Sudirman-Thamrin [roads are] closed. This has been done for years. It’s called traffic re-engineering.

Regarding the road closure, some criticize you as a populist who makes decisions only to please some groups of people without proper study. How do you respond to that?

I’m no longer campaigning, so I don’t have to please anybody. I’m upholding my commitment to bringing social justice to Jakarta and creating equal opportunity for everyone. Elections in Jakarta will not be held until 2022. So before that we are talking about policy implementation and making sure that I am upholding the Constitution for all citizens.

Do you have a grand design for flood mitigation?

The issue is not so much about a grand design. The grand design has been here for many years. The issue is implementation.

We have created a special team to supervise office and residential areas to ensure they have infiltration wells. The law says that every building is required to have an infiltration well. We need to make sure that the water is sent back to the earth. And we are seeing, [for example], a major hotel in Jakarta, it dosen’t even have a single well. So [there are] violations of basic principles of water management here in Jakarta.

You have been on the job for months. How has this job changed you and your perspective?

I feel younger now. It’s so dynamic. I’m enjoying it. I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve [Jakarta]. In my previous job as the minister of education, [I was responsible for] one sector across the country. Now, in one region [I am responsible for] all sectors. Now I hardly go to the airport.

[Being a governor] is more fun. Here, we are dealing with people. I prefer to work with people rather than papers. And this job truly gives me the opportunity to meet people, talk to people. When you make a policy, immediately you see the change.

Before the election you were known as a moderate Muslim, but then you received support from conservative Muslim groups, including the Islam Defenders Front [FPI]. Do you see this support base as an obstacle to your goals now?

We have received support from all sections of society. I maintain the perspective that a governor is a governor for everyone. I cannot exclude anyone from engaging with me. But from what I experience, polarization in society is because of a lack of communication and interaction.

I meet with Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Buddhists. I meet with different groups, almost everybody. I treat all groups equally. When I serve as governor I have a pledge to uphold the Constitution and to have policies based on the Constitution of this land, not based on faith.

Pollsters have placed you among the top contenders for the 2019 presidential election. If Gerindra or other political parties ask you to run, how will you respond?

[First], I am now serving as the governor of Jakarta, and [second], in the presidential election we have seen two candidates emerge: Gerindra has already nominated Prabowo and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle has already nominated Jokowi, so we will most likely see a rematch [of the 2014 election]. And I continue to serve as governor of Jakarta.

I will respond to the question of running or not running when there is a request from a political party. As of now, there is none, and therefore I am not going to speculate on the request itself. I focus on Jakarta and will see how things evolve.

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