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Mayoral hopefuls look to introduce themselves to South Tangerang voters
With Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany set to conclude her second and final term next year, the election will be an opportunity for new hopefuls to run for office.
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Vehicles pass by posters promoting mayoral hopefuls on Jl. Puspitek Raya in South Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
W
hile the simultaneous 2020 regional elections may still be months away, banners and posters promoting mayoral hopefuls have begun popping up around South Tangerang, Banten, as the prospective candidates seek to begin introducing themselves to voters.
Considered one of Greater Jakarta’s more affluent areas, with modern housing complexes, malls and other public facilities, the city of 1.7 million people is among the 270 regions set to hold elections in September.
With Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany set to conclude her second and final term next year, the election will be an opportunity for new hopefuls to run for office.
Among the prominent names are current Deputy Mayor Benyamin Davnie, Siti Nur Azizah, the daughter of Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, and Heri Gagarin, the former head of the South Tangerang Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Benyamin has been Airin’s deputy were elected for their first term in 2011 in the first ever regional elections held in South Tangerang after it was granted municipality status by the Home Ministry. It was formerly part of Tangerang regency.
Airin, a Golkar Party politician, has long faced scrutiny from her opponents as she is married to the younger brother of former Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah. Atut, who is currently serving time in prison for graft, and some of her family members have been accused of seeking to establish a political dynasty in Banten. Many of their family members hold top spots in regional administrations and local councils in the province.
Benyamin, who was the Tangerang regency Development Planning Board (Bappeda) head before South Tangerang was declared a new administrative city in 2008, expressed optimism about his prospects of winning the mayoral race.
