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Golkar angles for popularity boost via Ridwan Kamil
The West Java Governor has joined the Golkar Party, with both sides looking to benefit from the union going into the preelection season.
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ith the 2024 general election just around a year away, the Golkar Party has welcomed West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil into its fold in the hope that the social media-savvy leader can give the party a much-needed electoral boost amid increasingly fierce competition.
Last week’s announcement of Ridwan’s entry into Golkar, which was a few months in the making, had seen the two sides reaping the mutual benefits of their union, experts said. While the governor had gained access to Golkar’s well-oiled political machinery, the party had gained an ally with a reach that went beyond the confines of practical politics.
The self-made politician has made no qualms about using his clout to help elevate the party’s footing in next year’s race.
“I have 30 million followers, that’s already an asset. If I post about Golkar everyday or every other day, some [of my followers] will catch on,” Ridwan said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.
An architect by trade, Ridwan made his foray into politics in 2013, when he won the mayoral race in Bandung, West Java’s provincial capital. Part of a younger, digital savvy generation of politicians, Ridwan’s lighthearted online persona has cemented his popularity among the Indonesian public.
In a sign of Golkar’s confidence in him, Ridwan has been immediately tapped as deputy chairman and as cochair of the election committee (Bappilu), two strategic internal positions.
“Obviously Pak [Mr.] Emil will have a tough task ahead of him: to rally voters and help win the general election,” Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto said during the reveal, referring to Ridwan by his nickname among supporters.
Given how Indonesian voters have a tendency toward idolatry, political analyst Adi Prayitno of Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University believes that Golkar is banking on Ridwan’s popularity to attract voters.
“Looking at voter behavior, those who idolize Ridwan will migrate [...] to the party he now calls home,” Adi suggested. With West Java among the country’s most populous provinces, he said it was only natural for Ridwan to assume high-ranking positions within the party structure, even though he was a newcomer.
Ambitious target
At an event in October, Golkar set an ambitious goal of winning the 2024 legislative election by targeting 20 percent of votes and 115 seats in the House of Representatives, significantly above over the 85 seats the party won in 2019
According to a recent survey from Indikator Politik Indonesia, however, Golkar still has a lot of work to do to reach those targets. The party currently ranks at a distant second with 10.5 percent electability among respondents, trailing behind the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with 25.7 percent.
For the 2024 presidential election, Golkar is the de facto leader of the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB), its alliance with the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP). But the KIB is yet to make a final decision on their presidential-vice presidential pairing, despite being the first parties to form an electoral alliance.
While several members of the Golkar elite insist that the party is still keen on nominating chairman Airlangga as its presidential candidate, his sagging electability remains a problem.
Several of PAN and PPP’s regional executives have voiced support for Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo of the PDI-P, which analysts have noted that the KIB’s lack of competent candidates could pose a big risk for the group.
Golkar deputy chairwoman Nurul Arifin said, however, that its fellow allies were free to weigh their options, as nothing was set in stone.
“From our standpoint, we only have [our] eyes on Airlangga. But if other parties within the KIB declare their support or flirt with the possibility of fielding other candidates, we don’t mind,” Nurul said last week at a discussion hosted by a Golkar-affiliated media company.
Given the party’s current stance, it is unlikely that Ridwan will contest the 2024 presidential election, even if he rising as a popular choice for the vice presidency.
However, Adi still believes that joining Golkar is realistically his best option.
“There is a backup plan for Ridwan, as he now has the backing of a major party for potentially running in the 2024 regional elections,” he said. “Whether it’s seeking reelection as West Java governor or taking a shot at the Jakarta [governorship], he’s all set.”
