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Analysis: Anindya tightens grip on Kadin with Hashim, Raffi’s appointment
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Logo of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (Courtesy /industry.co.id)
D
espite a mediation brokered by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister and Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia to resolve the dual leadership conflict in the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Anindya Novyan Bakrie continues to fortify his claim to the Kadin chairmanship. His latest move includes appointing celebrity influencer Raffi Ahmad and Hashim Djojohadikusumo, brother of President-elect Prabowo Subianto, to key positions within his faction, signaling deeper political entanglements in Kadin's leadership.
Hashim, who also serves as deputy chair of the Gerindra Party's board of supervisors, was named head of Kadin's advisory board. Meanwhile, Raffi Ahmad, a prominent figure in Prabowo and Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s presidential campaign team, was appointed deputy chair for tourism and creative economy. Raffi, who also serves as Gerindra’s campaign manager for Banten’s gubernatorial candidates Andra Soni and Achmad Dimyati Natakusumah, adds a high-profile celebrity endorsement to Anindya's faction.
Arsjad Rasjid’s Kadin faction has decried these appointments. Dhaniswara K. Harjono, deputy chair for legal and human rights affairs, stated that Anindya's actions violated an agreement reached in a meeting mediated by Bahlil, which called for a national conference (Munas) to resolve the leadership split after Prabowo's inauguration. The deal was meant to prevent further division and allow a proper transition if a new chairman were elected.
The rift in Kadin leadership began on Sept. 14, when Anindya’s faction held an extraordinary national meeting (Munaslub) where Anindya claimed victory, despite opposition from 21 out of 35 provincial executive committees. Golkar Party deputy chair Nurdin Halid, who oversaw the vote, justified the move by accusing Arsjad of violating Kadin’s bylaws when he took leave to join the campaign team for the Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD presidential ticket. Arsjad’s faction then filed lawsuits against Anindya’s group, accusing them of forging letters from Kadin provincial leaders to legitimize the Munaslub.
Following the congress, Bahlil shared an Instagram post on Sept. 27, announcing that a mediation agreement had been reached, with both sides appearing satisfied. The agreement stipulated that a Kadin Munas would be held after Prabowo's inauguration to settle the leadership issue, potentially ending Arsjad's tenure, which was supposed to last until 2026.
However, the conflict persists, with both Anindya and Arsjad continuing to assert their leadership. A Kadin press release on September 28 named Arsjad as the official chair and Anindya as head of the supervisory board, but Anindya rejected this and declared he would take full control of Kadin's leadership within two weeks. He suggested Arsjad take over as head of the supervisory board instead.
Anindya has courted political figures, including five ministers and a leader of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), to gain support for his leadership. Recently, on Oct. 3, Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi met with Anindya’s Kadin faction and several telecommunications associations. The new Kadin leadership structure was then unveiled during the "Economic Discussion with Senior International Business Leader: Hashim Djojohadikusumo" on Oct. 7 at Kadin Tower.
