The Jakarta gubernatorial elections is still two years away, but already the Gerindra party is preparing to dislodge Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama from the hot seat.
The chairman of Gerindra’s Jakarta Chapter, M. Taufik said his party is preparing wealthy businessman Sandiaga Uno to challenge Ahok in the next gubernatorial election.
Taufik, who vice chairs the Jakarta City Council (DPRD), doesn’t think highly of Ahok and believes Sandiaga Uno would be a much more suitable governor.
“He (Sandiaga) is a good person. He’s smart, respectful and not aggressive like Ahok. He’s also young and successful but he’s kind so he will be liked by people,” Taufik said, as quoted by Okezone today.
Gerindra is considering Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Triwisaksana to be Sandiaga Uno’s running mate.
Although he has no formal experience in politics, Sandiaga is one of the country’s most powerful businesspeople. He consistently ranks among Indonesia’s wealthiest (in 2010, Forbes named him the 27th richest person in Indonesia with a net worth of $ 795 million). The charismatic 46-year-old joined the Gerindra party in April 2015.
Sandiaga was investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2013 in a money laundering case, but he was never charged with corruption.
If you’re well informed about Jakarta politics, then you might remember that Ahok himself was a member of Gerindra. He acrimoniously left the party around this time last year after Gerindra’s coalition passed a bill that banned the public from electing local officials, giving the power of appointment over to local legislatures. Thankfully, the parliament reinstated direct elections back in January of this year.
As things stand, Ahok is likely to run as an incumbent in 2017 without any backing from a political party. To run as an independent, he has to get signatures and KTPs from one million Jakarta citizens that want him to do so before the elections. Some of his strongest supporters have already mobilized to do just that.
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