Anies Baswedan Comments on Chance at Presidency: 'Focus on Jakarta until October'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan stated that he did not want to think too much about his chance at becoming the presidential candidate in the 2024 General Elections albeit a number of parties have prepared to support him. 

“I appreciate the support. This is an honor. But I am still carrying out my mandate as the Governor of Jakarta. I am still focusing on managing Jakarta until October this year,” said Anies in the exclusive interview of Majalah Tempo‘s June 27, 2022 edition.

Anies did not deny having intensive communication with the General Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh. NasDem is one of the parties that support Anies’ presidential candidacy along with Ganjar Pranowo and Andika Perkasa. Yet Anies claimed his communication with Surya was only an exchange of ideas. 

Meanwhile, when asked about his close relationship with Jusuf Kalla who had supported him in the 2017 Gubernatorial Election or Pilkada, Anies said it was because he sees the former vice president as a respected figure.

“Don't push me about the presidential election because I still want to focus on working in Jakarta,” said Anies.

The support of political parties for Anies in the upcoming presidential election boosted his electability. In a recent survey conducted by pollster Polmatrix Indonesia, Anies' electability at 20.8 percent outperformed both Prabowo’s (19.3 percent) and Ganjar’s (18.8 percent) in the presidential candidate market.

Polmatrix Indonesia Executive Director Dendik Rulianto in a statement received in Jakarta, Sunday, June 26. 2022, said the rise of Anies Baswedan's name could not be separated from the support given by a number of political parties to carry him as a presidential candidate.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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