Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has finally confirmed the rumors surrounding his political aspirations by accepting the National Democrat (NasDem) Party’s offer to endorse him as its presidential nominee for the 2024 election.

“I am ready to run for president. I humbly beg Allah for His blessing [in this endeavor] on behalf of the Indonesian people,” the 53-year-old politician announced on Oct. 3 at NasDem Tower in the Central Jakarta district of Menteng.

“With your prayers and blessings, insya Allah [God willing], this long road will be smooth instead of arduous. God will decide [who will win], as he has the final say [in all things],” he said.

Divisive election

Anies’ invocation of the divine was to be expected, as he defeated then-incumbent Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in 2017 in a divisive gubernatorial election marked by sectarian and ethnic tensions. The race culminated in the failure of Ahok’s reelection bid in April that year and his sentencing to two years in jail around three weeks later, when the South Jakarta District Court found him guilty of blasphemy for misquoting Quranic verses during a campaign speech.

Many supporters of the outgoing Christian, ethnic Chinese governor, who had been deputy during Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s governorship and handpicked to succeed him, believed that Basuki had been framed with trumped-up charges.

“I find the way Anies won [in 2017] deplorable, as he won ugly by taking advantage of the worsening sectarian division. He showed his deficiency in ethics when he failed to speak out as [his supporters] prevented the deceased Muslim supporters of Ahok from receiving their last rites at the mosque. If his supporters cannot respect [fellow Muslims] who disagreed with them by picking a non-Muslim candidate, how can they respect non-Muslims who make the same choice?” said Yusaf “Yus” Juweni, 51, a private driver, criticizing Anies’ leadership.

“Anies also failed to act when [the 212 Movement] and other groups were disorderly. If he cannot or will not control [his] rabble in Jakarta, how can one expect him to do so as the President of Indonesia?” Yus continued, referring to the informal movement of Muslim groups that formed on Dec. 2, 2016 to protest Basuki.

But others hold a more equivocal view about the former education and culture minister.

“Anies is neither particularly good nor bad in his decisions and actions, as he is a byproduct of Indonesia’s political system. The divisiveness surrounding his victory in the 2017 election is due to the direct voting system and the ‘if you’re not with me, you’re against me’ mindset, which naturally comes with that process,” said Abud (not his real name), 47, a contractor.

“This type of election is incompatible with Indonesian democracy, which traditionally uses [mutual] consensus to come up with solutions. So sectarian sentiments, as reflected by the 212 Movement and other hard-line Muslim groups, is not the heart of the problem," he said.

Abud also attributed the former Gerindra Party politician’s victory at the polls to his individual leadership style.

“Anies won people over by his well-mannered, soft-spoken demeanor, while Ahok alienated them with his abrasiveness and sharp tongue against corrupt, inefficient or lazy officials. The latter’s behavior also set a bad precedent, as officials like Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and [former Surabaya mayor] Tri Rismaharini emulated him to get favorable media coverage,” said Abud.

Meeting the people: Anies Baswedan poses with residents along a street in Jakarta, on Nov. 1. (AFP/Goh Chai Hin) (AFP/Goh Chai Hin)

Tackling local issues

While Anies’ path to City Hall might have been checkered, his efforts to ease Jakartans’ daily grind gained their appreciation.

“Anies improved some aspects of the cityscape, like clearing food vendors from sidewalks in the Menteng and Senayan areas. Likewise, he managed to expand green spaces, namely by planting more trees,” noted Yanto, 50, an executive at a record label.

“Anies also improved public transportation by further integrating [the Jakarta MRT and Transjakarta] services and making them run on time, which eased traffic. [He] also maintained the improvements in public services that started during Joko Widodo and Ahok’s tenures running Jakarta,” he said.

Veterinarian Wiwik Bagdja, 71, agrees.

“The odd-even traffic policy of allowing cars with odd and even license plate numbers in the center of Jakarta on weekdays, depending on the date, simultaneously made us use public transportation, which improved accordingly,” she said.

“It also made us more disciplined in [traveling by] car, so as to avoid fines and other legal troubles.”

Timin, a 55-year-old driver, is of the same view.

“Anies continuing Ahok’s ‘orange army’ of [waste workers] around Jakarta was the right step, as it created employment,” he said.

“He also mitigated flooding in Bukit Duri and Jatinegara, districts that have long been flooding hot spots. Considering that Jakarta is not an easy place to run due to chronic problems like traffic and floods, this was no mean feat,” Timin added.

Abud also noted: “Anies is aware of Jakarta’s needs, especially at the grassroots level, like when he overturned Ahok’s decision to evict the inhabitants of slums in Jatinegara, East Jakarta and Kampung Akuarium in North Jakarta.”

While he acknowledged that Anies’ hands were tied by big business, political parties and other groups with vested interests, Abud said the governor still had his work cut out for him.

“Anies did not lay down the law against squatters and shanties. If he could ensure that their houses were 30 to 50 meters from the riverbanks, then they would not be so badly affected by the floods that have chronically plagued Jakarta since the Dutch colonial era,” he said.

Boost from COVID-19

As with the rest of the world, the coronavirus pandemic severely affected Jakarta and the nation in 2020, disrupting its economy and affecting the people’s health, travel, work habits and other aspects of their lives. The pandemic also affected Anies’ political prospects, dogged as they were by his controversial election win and ambiguities over the construction of the Formula E circuit and the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), among other matters.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was perhaps a blessing for Anies. Because the coronavirus lockdowns hampered our mobility and capacity to make ends meet by forcing us to stay at home, any mismanagement that might have occurred under Anies was the last thing on our minds,” said 75-year-old housewife Sri Atmosudirdjo.

Blessing in disguise: Housewife Sri Atmosudirdjo said, 'The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps a blessing for Anies. As the coronavirus lockdown hampered our mobility and ability to make ends meet by forcing us to stay at home, any mismanagement that might have occurred under Anies was the last thing on our minds.' (Courtesy of Sri Atmosudirdjo/.)

But others are less forgiving of Anies’ staunch COVID-19 response, which they felt had excessively toed the government’s line.

“Anies failed to stand up to discrimination against the unvaccinated or the politicization of the [COVID-19] vaccine. He should have revoked the mandatory vaccination rules for Greater Jakarta,” said Yanto, who is unvaccinated.

“We were denied public services or barred from entering malls and other public places because of our [vaccine] status, though we have the right to be either unvaccinated or vaccinated. If Anies had ensured that we adhered to the health protocols and had enforced them consistently, that would have been enough.”

While Anies’ track record as governor might have its pros and cons, his presidential aspirations are roundly criticized.

“Anies’ presidential bid is premature, as he should serve at least another term as Jakarta governor to complete his projects in the capital,” said Timin. “In doing so, he has failed to break the precedent set by President Jokowi, who ran for president without even finishing his first term [as Jakarta governor].”

Abud backs Timin’s observations, but for different reasons.

“Anies should not be running for president, because of the havoc the people around him will wreak if he wins the top job. They will profit and put their own interests before the country’s, more so than his predecessors’ cronies who did the same,” he warned.

“Anies should not be placed in any powerful position like the vice president or a minister, for that matter, for the same reasons. He should be Jakarta governor for two terms, and then given an ambassadorial post,” Abud added.

But Sri prefers to take a wait-and-see approach.

“When the 2024 presidential election comes around, Anies might find it hard to cover up any wrongdoings, as they will be scrutinized. But we will see, especially if he wins the presidential race,” she said.