Prabowoptics
Vast majority of listeners to the radio talk at Elshinta News with Yunus Husein, head of a working group for legal reform, were pessimistic on president elect Prabowo Subianto’s recent ‘commitment’ to establish a special force, well-funded by the State, to hunt down corruptors to Antarctica.
A Recap from 2024 Gubernatorial Elections (2)
Java Island might be the main battleground between candidates from KIM Plus and PDIP (the likely opposition) because of its huge population. Still, there are interesting battles outside Java, particularly in resource-rich provinces in Sulawesi, Sumatra, Kalimantan, North Maluku, and Papua.
A Recap from 2024 Gubernatorial Elections (1)
The simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) will be held on November 27, 2024. The prospective candidates for governor and vice governor, regent and deputy regent, and mayor and deputy mayor have all registered themselves during the registration period from August 27 to August 29. In this article, however, we are going to focus on the gubernatorial elections, which arguably are the most anticipated ones as the public has been actively involved in a heated discourse related to it.
PDIP: Loss and Gain
PDIP, the largest political party in Indonesia, has lost the opportunity to relaunch the political career of its cadre, former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama a.k.a Ahok, in this year’s simultaneous regional elections. At the same time, PDIP successfully gained the opportunity to launch the political career of its new cadre, Andika Perkasa, a former Military Commander (Panglima TNI).
Another Cabinet Reshuffle?
There’s a possibility that the outgoing President Jokowi carries out a limited cabinet reshuffle if Pramono Anung and Tri Rismaharini, the two ministers from PDIP, tender their resignation. Pramono is now running as a governor candidate in Jakarta, while Risma is running as a governor candidate in East Java.
The Pope’s Visit
Pope Francis is set to land at Soekarno Hatta international airport in the coming hours for a three-day historic visit. He becomes the third pope visiting Indonesia after Paul VI (1970) and John Paul II (1989). He was scheduled to visit Indonesia in 2020, but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Political Event to Watch: PPP’s Chairmanship Congress
PPP, a small Islamic party that is strongly affiliated to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), will hold its Muktamar (chairmanship congress) next year. However, the pressures continue to flow from inside the Party to accelerate the Muktamar in this year following PPP’s failure in the 2024 legislative election and the exclusion of the Party from the House of Representatives (DPR).
Kaesang, Tommy Soeharto & Ibas Yudhoyono
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is attempting to summon Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of the outgoing President Jokowi, to ask for a clarification on the alleged gratification of his private jet tour. The allegation started from social media flexing by Erina Sofia Gudono, Kaesang’s wife, about her and her husband riding on a private jet for a trip to Los Angeles, USA.
Another Muktamar of PKB Postponed
The Nahdlatul Ulama’s Central Board (PBNU), led by KH Yahya Cholil Staquf a.k.a Gus Yahya, decided to delay its plan to hold another Muktamar (chairmanship congress) of PKB. Initially, PBNU planned to hold another Muktamar of PKB today (Sep. 2) in Jakarta.
Class 1991 & Jokowi-Prabowo Dynamics
The Chief of the National Police (Kapolri) General Listyo Sigit Prabowo instituted another job rotation, in which the General once again promoted his former classmate at the Police Academy’s (Akpol) 1991 class as the new provincial police chief (Kapolda) in Papua. With the appointment, General Sigit’s former classmates are now dominating the provincial police chief positions across the country.