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Analysis: Ridwan accepts defeat, paving way for PDI-P to join Prabowo’s KIM
Ridwan had initially announced his intention to dispute the election results in a bid to force a runoff election,
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Ridwan Kamil, former West Java governor and potential Jakarta gubernatorial candidate.
(Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
R
idwan Kamil, the gubernatorial candidate backed by President Prabowo Subianto's Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM), has dropped his plan to challenge the results of the Jakarta race at the Constitutional Court and accepted his defeat to governor-elect Pramono Anung Wibowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI-P). The about-face came after Ridwan met with KIM leaders. Whether or not Prabowo was behind the unexpected move, the peaceful concession will pave the way for the PDI-P’s much-awaited entry into the big-tent ruling coalition the President wants.
Last Sunday, the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) declared Pramono and running mate Rano Karno as the winning pair with 50.07 percent of the vote, to avoid a runoff. The Ridwan-Suswono pair came in at a distant second with 39.4 percent, while the independent ticket of Dharma Pongrekun and Kun Wardana trailed with 10.53 percent.
Ridwan had initially announced his intention to dispute the election results in a bid to force a runoff election, claiming that his campaign team had solid evidence to mount a legal challenge. The former West Java governor, who hails from the Golkar Party, said he changed his mind after meeting with a number of figures, including experts and KIM leaders, though he did not disclose their identities. It is believed President Prabowo asked Ridwan not to pursue an election dispute so as to avoid angering the PDI-P, which lost key battles in its traditional strongholds like Central Java, North Sumatra and North Sulawesi in the Nov. 27 regional head elections.
Since winning February’s presidential election, Prabowo has expressed his eagerness to meet with PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. Although senior leaders from both Prabowo’s Gerindra Party and the PDI-P had arranged such a meeting before his inauguration on Oct. 20, the plan never materialized.
Just like his predecessor Joko ‘’Jokowi’’ Widodo, Prabowo is aiming to minimize opposition during his term by embracing all political parties. Former election rivals the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Prosperous Justice Party have all joined the ruling coalition, but the PDI-P has refused to get on the bandwagon.
Nevertheless, Prabowo appointed Budi Gunawan, the former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief and a close Megawati ally, as coordinating politics and security minister. He also retained Sanitiar Burhanuddin, a younger brother of PDI-P politician Tubagus Hasanuddin, as attorney general.
While Megawati has never declared the PDI-P to be an opposition party, her daughter Puan Maharani, who was reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, has openly welcomed Prabowo’s move to bring the PDI-P into the KIM’s fold.
