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Archrivals Megawati, SBY prepare successors
Political archrivals Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are likely to face each other in the 2024 presidential race but this time, they are prepping their children to go head-to-head
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olitical archrivals Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are likely to face each other in the 2024 presidential race but this time, they are prepping their children to go head-to-head. Megawati's daughter, Puan Maharani, who is the current House of Representatives speaker, may run for president in the 2024 race, following in the footsteps of her mother, the country’s fifth president.
Meanwhile, Yudhoyono’s son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, has declared his intention to run in 2024, even though he has not confirmed whether he will run as president or vice president. Yudhoyono was the nation’s sixth president.
"I will continue to prepare for 2024," Agus said recently.
A political survey released on Sunday by pollster Indo Barometer suggested that Gerindra Party leader Prabowo Subianto, now the defense minister in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's Cabinet, might square off against Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan in 2024, even though the former has lost every single presidential election since 2009.
The survey suggested that Prabowo would be the strongest when paired with Puan, while Anies had a better chance of winning the election if paired with Agus or West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.
Prabowo-Puan gained 37 percent of the vote from 1,200 respondents, while Anies-Agus secured 25.8 percent, according to the survey.
However, according to the survey, Agus was more popular than Puan by securing support from 82.8 percent of survey respondents, while Puan gained the support of 66.5 percent.
Another survey released on Monday by Media Survei Nasional or Median pollster, also shows Prabowo as the most popular candidate among 23 figures, followed by former Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno, Anies, Agus and Puan.
Responding to the surveys, Puan said she had yet to think about her political agenda in 2024, citing that she would focus on her job instead of thinking about the race.
“I need to work on a lot of things for the people, so for me, I would rather think about 2020 first," Puan said.
Puan, however, has been seen on numerous occasions with her mother and Prabowo. Perhaps the most memorable meeting was during Jokowi’s second-term inauguration ceremony in October.
The latest occasion was earlier this month, in which the three attended the inauguration of a statue of Sukarno, the country’s founding president and Megawati’s father, at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java.
Although 2024 is a few years away, the rivalry between Megawati and Yudhoyono is apparent, as seen in a speech given by the former in which it was expressed that politicians should not "force" their children to take part in the 2024 general election, calling the practice "annoying". Some speculate that Megawati’s speech was targeted at Yudhoyono and Agus, who lost in the Jakarta election in 2017.
Megawati also mentioned that Puan had reached political heights due to her hard work and not because she had pressured her.
“People have said Puan becoming the House speaker was the result of my help. How was that possible? It was because she got most of the votes [during the election] and nobody could ignore it,” said Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Yudhoyono’s Demcoratic Party stated that it was not offended by Megawati’s speech, saying that her statement was more fit for the PDI-P, not the Dems.
“Because the Dems and Yudhoyono are not in such a situation,” Ferdinand Hutahaean, the head of the Democratic Party’s advocacy and legal division, said.
"But you see, Puan became a minister in 2014, is House speaker now and plans to run in the 2024 election. Who’s behind all of this? Maybe Megawati is the one who can answer that […] Bu Mega was actually to herself and her party in her speech," he added.
Puan and Agus have been rumored to be the next leaders of their respective parties. Megawati said the party had prepared a new guard to take over her role. Puan and her brother Prananda Prabowo are reportedly the strongest candidates.
Agus, on the other hand, is the strongest candidate for the Democratic Party chairmanship. The party will hold a national congress in May to elect Yudhoyono's successor.
Democratic Party executive Jansen Sitindaon claimed the majority of party members wanted Agus to be the next chairman, saying that he hoped Agus was willing to take over the position.
Democratic Party deputy chairman Syarif Hasan said Agus might be the sole candidate for next party chairperson as he was the most prominent member of the party.
"He was a candidate for [Jakarta] governor in 2017 and failed. He also tried to be a vice-presidential candidate in 2019 and failed. However, he keeps on trying. He’s a strong-willed young man.”
