Politics

There is an interesting development coming from Prabowo-Gibran’s coalition that needs to be highlighted. It might change everything in this year’s simultaneous regional elections, especially in some major provinces such as Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java.

In a previous article, we’ve talked about the importance of monitoring a potential coalition between PDIP and PKB in this year’s simultaneous regional elections. Today, we’ve seen PDIP and PKB indeed formed a joint special team to discuss a coalition between the two parties in the gubernatorial elections in some major provinces.

It looks like we might see a rematch between Anies Baswedan and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama a.k.a Ahok in this year’s Jakarta gubernatorial election. As mentioned in earlier articles, the existing rules are not compatible for an Anies-Ahok pairing. PDIP is reportedly in talks with PKB to form an axis for endorsing Ahok and pairing him with Ida Fauziah to challenge Anies.

The tension continues to flare up between the National Awakening Party (PKB) led by Muhaimin Iskandar and the Nahdlatul Ulama’s Central Board (PBNU) led by Yahya Cholil Staquf a.k.a Gus Yahya following the establishment of the House’s Special Committee for investigating the implementation of hajj in 2024, locally known as Pansus Haji. Will the tension continue until the upcoming chairmanship congress of PKB that will be held soon this year?

Media outlets reported a rumor that the outgoing President Jokowi, who has less than three months in office,will make another round of cabinet reshuffle soon. It is said that the President will replace Arifin Tasrif, the Minister of Energy & Mineral Resources (ESDM), with Bahlil Lahadalia, who is now the Minister of Investment/the Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).

Today, Jul. 31, 236 candidates of the new leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) that earlier passed the administrative verification will undergo a written test. Let’s take a look into some more candidates that are worth highlighting because of their political connections.

The fifth President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is the matriarch of PDIP, has once again defended Hasto Kristiyanto, the secretary general of PDIP. Hasto, as we all know, is currently facing multiple investigations conducted by the Corruption Eradication Commision (KPK) and the National Police (POLRI).

Two days after the Military Commander (Panglima TNI) General Agus Subiyanto instituted a job rotation, the Chief of the National Police (Kapolri) General Listyo Sigit Prabowo also instituted a rotation which affected 157 high-ranking police officers. This rotation is worth highlighting because General Sigit made changes into some provincial police chiefs (Kapolda), including the Central Java Police Chief Ahmad Luthfi, who will run in this year’s Central Java gubernatorial race as a governor candidate.

In the previous instalment of the article, we’ve mentioned some names of potential candidates for the replacement of Sri Mulyani Indrawati in Prabowo-Gibran’s cabinet. Recently, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who is known as Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan’s guy, has also been tipped as another potential candidate for the next Minister of Finance.

The Military Commander (Panglima TNI) General Agus Subiyanto instituted the latest job rotation affecting 256 high-ranking military officers. This job rotation is truly worth highlighting because Lt. Gen. Mohammad Hasan, who is a former Commander of the Presidential Details’ Group A (Paspamres) for the outgoing President Jokowi, has been promoted as the new Commander of the Army’s Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), the largest unit in the Indonesian Army (TNI AD). The rotation also made changes into some territorial commanders (Pangdam) and provincial intelligence chiefs (Kabinda).