On Monday (Oct. 25), President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo took the oath of Ivan Yustivandana (the new Chief of the Anti-Money Laundering Agency PPATK) and 17 new Indonesian ambassadors at the State Palace Jakarta. But one key position remains a subject of speculation. Who will the President nominate as the next military commander (Panglima TNI) to replace Commander Hadi Tjahjanto?

A new survey from Poltracking Indonesia found PDIP politician and Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo leading the poll, surpassing the Chairman of Gerindra Party Prabowo Subianto (Minister of Defense). In stark contrast, the electability of PDIP politician Puan Maharani, who is the House Speaker and the daughter of Megawati Soekarnoputri, remains insignificant. 

Over the weekend, several major political parties each held an event related to the 2024 presidential election. The Gerindra Party, for example, held a declaration event in Central Java to support its party chairman Prabowo Subianto’s 2024 presidential bid. The Chairman of Golkar Airlangga Hartarto, meanwhile, stated that Golkar must win the presidential race and also the legislative and regional elections in 2024. Airlangga delivered the statement in Golkar’s 57th anniversary event, which President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended.

The Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo (a PDIP politician) met with his party colleague Tri Rismaharini (Minister of Social Affairs) on Tuesday (Oct. 24) while visiting the grave of the first President Soekarno, the father of PDIP Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri, in Blitar, East Java. The speculation that Ganjar could team up with Risma for the 2024 presidential race followed.

The Chairman of Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto has made Bobby Rizaldi Adhityo the acting chairman of Golkar’s South Sumatera provincial chapter to replace Dodi Reza Alex Noerdin, the regent of Musi Banyuasin (Muba) who was named graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). The Chief of the National Police (Kapolri) General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, meanwhile, appointed Insp. Gen. Suntana as the acting chief of the National Police’s Intelligence & Security Body (Baintelkam POLRI).

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated a new biodiesel factory on Thursday (Oct. 21). The factory belongs to PT Jhonlin Argo Raya (JAR), a subsidiary of Jhonlin Group, a business group owned by South Kalimantan businessman H. Andi Syamsuddin Arsyad a.k.a Haji Isam. Haji Isam was a deputy treasurer of Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin’s national campaign team in the 2019 presidential election.

The Regent of Kuantan Sengingi (Kuansing) Andi Putra became the fourth politician from the Golkar Party named a graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in the past few weeks. It’s a bad gift for Golkar as the Party has just celebrated its 57th anniversary on Wednesday (Oct. 20).

Political dynasties in Indonesia remain ubiquitous. What happened to Alex Noerdin and his son Dodi reminds us of the corruption case that brought down Adriatma Dwi Putra, the former mayor of Kendari and his father Asrun. Within the past four years, at least four political dynasties have been entangled in graft scandals.

Tomorrow, Oct. 20, the Golkar Party will celebrate its 57th anniversary. Golkar, the second-largest political party in Indonesia, has set an ambitious target of winning the 2024 simultaneous presidential, legislative, and regional elections. The Party sees a reconsolidation as key to reaching the said target. Golkar, therefore, is welcoming of its exes who are keen to rejoin the Party.