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Jakarta Post

Sandiaga joins Jokowi’s son team

Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, October 5, 2020

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Sandiaga joins Jokowi’s son team

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ormer Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno is set to join the campaign team for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka and running mate Teguh Prakoso in the upcoming Surakarta mayoral election in Central Java.

The Gerindra Party politician, who ran as party chairman Prabowo Subianto's running mate in the 2019 presidential election, will join Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and her daughter, senior PDI-P politician Puan Maharani, on the team.

The news about Sandiaga's endorsement of the Gibran-Teguh ticket was confirmed by the President's son himself, who admitted that he was "delighted" with it as he really looked up to the businessman-turned-politician.

"He is my role model, a successful businessman [who turned into a politician]," Gibran said on Friday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Gibran added that his mayoral campaign events were likely to be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic that requires people to avoid crowds.

The Gibran-Teguh ticket has been endorsed by at least eight parties, including the PDI-P, Gerindra, Golkar and NasDem.

Before dipping his toes into politics, the 33-year-old Gibran was known as a food and beverage entrepreneur who launched various local brands, including martabak (sweet or savory stuffed pancake) joint Markobar and beverage brand Goola.

The President’s eldest son previously said that he would pass some of his businesses to his younger brother Kaesang Pangarep.

Sandiaga has also been confirmed as joining the campaign team for the President’s son-in-law Bobby Afif Nasution and running mate Aulia Rachman in the Medan mayoral race in North Sumatra.

PDI-P chairperson in Medan, Hasyim, said Bobby had personally suggested that Sandiaga be involved in his campaign. Bobby had already confirmed Sandiaga’s position on the team, he said.

“Bobby has contacted [Sandiaga],” Hasyim told The Jakarta Post on Sept. 21. “It’s all clear.”

Hasyim, who leads the campaign for the Bobby-Aulia ticket, said the team was enthusiastic about Sandiaga’s support, claiming that many voters in Medan were already partial to the prominent businessman during last year’s presidential race.

“Sandiaga Uno has a tremendous following in Medan, so we believe his involvement on the team will benefit the Bobby-Aulia ticket,” he said, adding that Sandiaga’s past opposition to the Jokowi camp was unlikely to deter the mayoral candidate’s supporters in the region.

However, whether Sandiaga’s endorsement of the Bobby-Aulia ticket could actually help put the campaign team at an advantage remains to be seen, as a number of his supporters in Medan have voiced their disappointment at his involvement in the campaign.

Harun Al Rasyid, a local Sandiaga supporter, for instance, said he was dismayed by the latest turn of events, claiming that the former vice-presidential candidate’s involvement in the Bobby-Aulia campaign team could upset his following.

“It’s upsetting […] because Bobby is part of the political dynasty that [Sandiaga and Prabowo] opposed in the 2019 election,” Harun told the Post.

According to Harun, Sandiaga’s endorsement of the Bobby-Aulia ticket did not necessarily mean that his supporters would vote for the pair.

Instead, Sandiaga’s following in Medan was more likely to vote for Medan acting mayor Akhyar Nasution and deputy mayor Salman Alfarisi in the upcoming election on Dec. 9, he said.

The Bobby-Aulia ticket has had the backing of eight parties, including the PDI-P, Gerindra, Golkar and NasDem. Meanwhile, the Akhyar-Salman ticket has been endorsed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party. (vny/rfa)

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