The Next Military Commander: The Pattern
The talk about who will become the next commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) is still a hot topic in town. Commander Hadi Tjahjanto will enter his mandatory retirement age on Nov. 8, 2021. Some believe that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to make General Listyo Sigit Prabowo as the new chief of the National Police (Kapolri) was a hint on who would succeed Commander Hadi.
The Democratic Party’s Extraordinary Congress
The Democratic Party’s internal conflict continues. Some of the Party’s founders plan to hold an extraordinary congress (KLB) with the aim of electing a new chairman to replace Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), the eldest son of the sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). They believe AHY is incapable of leading the Party. Some endorse Moeldoko, the chief of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), to become a new party chairman.
KPK’s Sting Operation & Political Change in South Sulawesi
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the Governor of South Sulawesi Nurdin Abdullah in a sting operation (OTT) on Feb. 26. He was immediately named a suspect of bribery to infrastructure projects in the province. Following Nurdin’s arrest, the Vice Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman was made the acting governor of South Sulawesi. This is not the first time that a KPK’s operation has triggered political change in the region.
Why Can’t AHY Start from the Bottom?
Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who is also the supreme leader of Democratic Party, claims that the public support for the Democratic Party has been increasing since his son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) became the party chairman. Others, meanwhile, praise AHY because his electability is higher than the chairmen of political parties, except Prabowo Subianto. The fact is that AHY’s electability is insignificant and the Democratic Party’s electability remains in a declining trend. In the meantime, the sons of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Mohammad Bobby Afif Nasution, will be sworn in today (Feb. 26) as the mayor of Surakarta and the mayor of Medan.
2024 Race Comes to Soon (3)
The Nasdem Party, the fourth largest political party in the House of Representatives (DPR) led by media mogul Surya Paloh, confirms that the Party will hold a convention next year to find its presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election. We are still in the first quarter of 2021. So it looks like the 2024 race has come too soon.
SBY’s Defense
The former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who is also the supreme leader of Democratic Party, finally spoke. He responded to the alleged attempt to overthrow his eldest son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) and take over the Democratic Party leadership. SBY, however, didn’t address the controversial Rp9 billion grant from the regional administration for the development of the Museum and Art Gallery of SBY-Ani Yudhoyono in his hometown Pacitan, East Java.
The Military Job Rotation: A Hint
The Commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto instituted another round of job rotation affecting 114 high-ranking military officers. This is the second job rotation this year, but it is the first major one. Commander Hadi fills in one...
Amien’s New Political Party (5)
The Ummat Party, a new political party established by the opposition figure Amien Rais, is reportedly ready to be introduced next month. Amien, who has separated from the National Mandate Party (PAN), had planned to introduce his new political party at the end of last year. Who will join Amien’s new political party? Can it survive in 2024?
The Game Isn’t Over
The ruling party PDIP demands the amendment of the Election Law (UU Pemilu) No. 7/2017 be continued without revising the Regional Election Law (UU Pilkada) No. 10/2016. The Party wants to keep the schedule of the next simultaneous regional elections in November 2024. PKB, the Islamic party strongly affiliated to the largest Islamic organization in the country Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), agrees with PDIP.
Ridiculous Survey on Cabinet Members’ Performance
Apart from releasing the result of the electability survey on potential 2024 presidential candidates, the polling agency Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI) also released the result of the survey on the performance of cabinet members. LSI found the Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto and the new Minister of Tourism & Creative Economy having the highest level of public satisfaction, even higher than the level of public satisfaction over the performance of the Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.