The Vice Chief of the National Police (Wakapolri) Commissioner General Gatot Eddy Pramono has been deputy executive chief of the new Committee for COVID-19 Mitigation and Economic Recovery (the Committee). He is the second appointee after the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Andika Perkasa. The development has triggered the speculation on the possible future promotion of both men.

The sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), who is also the supreme leader of Democratic Party, launched two books on Monday (Aug. 10), the day his eldest son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) celebrated his 41st birthday. In the said event, SBY talked about his willingness to help the Government mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and recover the economy. 

Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of President Jokowi “Jokowi” Widodo, has secured the backing of all the political parties seated in the city legislative council (DPRD) of Surakarta, except PKS. It’s not a surprising development. What caught our attention is Gibran’s response to the narratives played against him. 

The ruling party PDIP has on Tuesday (Aug. 11) announced its endorsement of 75 pairs of regional candidates in the 2020 simultaneous regional election. Apart from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s son-in-law Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution and Prabowo Subianto’s niece Rahayu Saraswati Djojohadikusumo, PDIP has endorsed the incumbent Regent of Luwu Timur Muhammad Thoriq Husler. The Regency of Luwu Timur in South Sulawesi is home to Vale Indonesia, the largest nickel producer in the country.

The influence of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) in state-owned PT Pertamina is felt. Aside from ordering Pertamina’s Board of Directors not to have long-winded meetings, Ahok also members of the Board with commissionership roles in subsidiaries to choose one job and stick to it.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo made the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Andika Perkasa deputy executive chief of the new Committee for COVID-19 Mitigation and Economic Recovery (the Committee). Some believe that it is another test for Andika. Andika is the frontrunner to become the next commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI). The question is whether making Andika the new military commander is still desirable for Jokowi.

Today, Aug. 11, the ruling party PDIP will reportedly announce its decision to endorse Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution, the son-in-law of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, in the city election of Medan, North Sumatera. Bobby would run with Aulia Rahman, a politician from Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party.  They would challenge the incumbent Akhyar Nasution, who has the backing of the opposition party PKS and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)’s Democratic Party. The problem is that the incumbent is infected with COVID-19. If he cannot recover and thus fail to enter the race, Bobby might compete against an undesignated blank ballot box.

This weekend, the Gerindra Party is expected to hold its congress in Jakarta. There’s no excitement because people know that Prabowo Subianto will be unanimously re-elected chairman for another five years (2020-2025). The key leaders of the Party have confirmed the expected outcome. Still, the congress is worth highlighting because Gerindra is the third largest political party in Indonesia. The question now is what of Sandiaga Uno?