Palace Denies Allegation of Jokowi Thwarting Anies Baswedan in 2024 Regional Elections

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The President's Special Staff Coordinator, Ari Dwipayana, emphatically denied allegations that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo played a role in preventing Anies Baswedan from advancing in the 2024 Regional Elections. He asserted that the nomination process for regional heads and deputy regional heads is solely the purview of political parties or coalitions of political parties.

“Internal party decisions should not be linked to the president,” Ari told Tempo via a text message on Friday, August 30, 2024.

Ari stressed that each party has its own internal mechanisms for making nomination decisions and possesses the autonomy to determine its candidates. 

The August 12, 2024 edition of Tempo Magazine reported on maneuvers by Jokowi and the Prabowo coalition to hinder Anies' nomination for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. This involved a scenario of a ‘blank box’, leaving voters opposing the sole candidate to vote for a blank box on the ballot.

A coalition of 13 government-supporting parties, known as the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM) Plus, endorsed Ridwan Kamil and Suswono, effectively closing off Anies' chances of running for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. 

Despite recent predictions that Anies would be a potential candidate for Jakarta governor from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the party ultimately granted its ticket to its cadre and Jokowi’s aide, Pramono Anung, who currently serves as Cabinet Secretary.

On the final day of registration for the 2024 regional elections, Thursday, August 29, 2024, there were strong rumors that PDIP would support Anies as a gubernatorial candidate in West Java. However, until the registration deadline at 11:59 p.m., the former governor of Jakarta did not register for any regional election.

PDIP eventually registered the Jeje Wiradinata-Ronal Surapradja pair, internal cadres of the party, with the West Java Regional Election Commission (KPU) on Thursday night. The Head of the PDIP West Java Regional Leadership Council, Ono Surono, revealed that Anies' candidacy was blocked due to opposition from certain individuals.

When questioned about the party that hindered Anies' candidacy, Ono mentioned the name Mulyono, which is known to be Jokowi's childhood name, which has been circulating widely on social media during recent discussions about revisions to the regional election law.

“They’re Mulyono and the group [who blocked Anies]. Just write Mulyono. Mulyono should refrain from further interference in the regional elections. Let the people make their choices based on their conscience,” Ono stated in a statement on Friday, August 30. 

Meanwhile, Anies Baswedan expressed his gratitude to PDIP which had planned to nominate him in the 2024 regional elections. Through his spokesperson, Sahrin Hamid, Anies said that he was not disappointed despite not being supported by PDIP.

“Mas Anies expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the decision of the political party, in this case, PDIP,” Sahrin said at his office in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta on Thursday night, August 29, 2024.

AHMAD FIKRI

Editor's Choice: Anies Baswedan Will Not Run in West Java Election, Spokesperson Confirms

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