Statesmanship test: The Jakarta Post

November 22, 2024

We all hope peace and order will prevail so as to allow eligible voters to exercise their right in a free manner. This is possible as long as poll organizers, security authorities and the bureaucracy uphold their neutrality.

The government has declared next week’s voting day a national holiday to encourage people to go to the polls to choose their regional leaders for the next five years. High voter turnout will surely provide strong legitimacy to the elected regional heads.

At least for the political elites, the regional elections will be a repeat of the bitter rivalry that characterized the presidential race. In some strategic regions like Jakarta, Central Java, East Java and North Sumatra, the big-tent Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) plus will fight the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

For President Prabowo Subianto, who now leads the KIM, the local elections will be crucial, as he needs to consolidate power in the regions. A firm grip on local politics will not only accelerate the implementation of his priority programs in the field but also strengthen his voter base, which he will need if he seeks reelection in 2029.

For the PDI-P, and particularly its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, the regional elections offer a chance for sweet revenge for the party’s upset defeat in the presidential race. The loss was partly attributed to then-president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s all-out support for Prabowo and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s eldest son. Now, once again, the PDI-P is facing the daunting challenge of defending its traditional strongholds, such as Central Java and Bali, from the KIM’s onslaught.

Jokowi indeed aims to prove his mettle, although he no longer holds power. The former president is capitalizing on his popularity to sway voters in Jakarta and Central Java, just to name a few. Wednesday’s elections will show whether his gamble has paid off.

Earlier this week, Jokowi visited Jakarta to display his support for former West Java governor Ridwan Kamil and his running mate Suswono of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) in the gubernatorial race. In Central Java, Jokowi has also campaigned for former provincial police chief Ahmad Luthfi and his running mate Taj Yasin.

A survey by Kompas research arm Litbang Kompas predicted the Jakarta election would go into a runoff, a repeat of the 2017 race. The survey found that the PDI-P ticket of Pramono Anung and Rano Karno was leading the race with 38.3 percent of popular support. The Ridwan-Suswono ticket trailed closely behind with 34.6 percent. The independent candidate pair Dharma Pongrekun and Kun Wardana Abyoto had a mere 3.3 percent. A candidate pair needs to win at least 50 percent the vote to secure the Jakarta governorship, unlike in other regions, where the candidate with the most votes in a single round of voting wins.

While Jokowi now faces no consequences for taking sides in the regional elections, Prabowo, as President, does. Prabowo has openly endorsed Luthi and his running mate Yasin and has encouraged the people of Central Java to vote for them. Prabowo also recently shared photos of him having dinner with Ridwan and Suswono on his Instagram account.

Prabowo claimed to be acting in his capacity as chairman of the Gerindra Party, which aims to win as many regional head posts as possible. But given that he is also the President, his display of support for certain candidates runs counter to the principle of impartiality, putting his statesmanship in question.

Previous presidents, especially Jokowi, might have broken the rule, but Prabowo should not normalize the practice if he really wants to change the game and prove his commitment to democracy, which catapulted him to the presidency.