Scolding the Nasdem Party
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was angry with the idea of adding presidential service term. The President firmly rejected the controversial idea. He even said that it would be better not to amend the 1945 Constitution, but to focus on the country’s problems instead. The idea of adding presidential service term came from the Nasdem Party.
Anies & the Hardliners
Rizieq Shihab, the supreme leader of the 212 Alumni Presidium (PA 212), used the mass gathering in the National Monument (Monas) on Monday Dec. 2, 2019, as a means of pushing for his repatriation. The Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan also took advantage of the event to keep the hardliners close to him. But he should be aware that associating himself with the hardliners isn’t without cost.
PPP’s 2020 Congress & A Sign of Reconciliation
The Islamic Party PPP, another member of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s ruling coalition, will hold its chairmanship congress (Muktamar) in April 2020. The said congress is important because the Party will not only elect its new chairman, but also attempt to reunite the two warring factions in the Party.
The Race to Control Golkar (13)
On Dec. 3, 2019, the Golkar Party is to hold its chairmanship congress (Munas) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta. Eight figures are reportedly keen to run as chairman candidates. But still, the main competition is only between the current Golkar Chairman Airlangga Hartarto and Bambang Soesatyo a.k.a Bamsoet.
Jokowi on Traffic Jams
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has just returned from South Korea. On Thursday (Nov. 28), the President attended the Kompas 100 CEO Forum at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and the 2019 Annual Meeting of Bank Indonesia (BI) at the Ciputra Artpreneur. Interestingly, in his speech at the BI’s Annual Meeting, Jokowi mentioned traffic jams in Jakarta. He said it was the reason why he decided to move the capital city to East Kalimantan.
Ma’ruf on Islam Politics
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin responded to the 212 Alumni Presidium (PA 212)’s planned mass gathering at the National Monument (Monas) Jakarta on December 2, 2019. The VP said that the 212 movement was over. Yesterday (Nov. 28), Ma’ruf also gathered the leaders of various Muslim organizations for a meeting at his official residence.
New Leaders at SOEs (2)
The extraordinary shareholders meeting (RUPSLB) of state-owned bank Bank BTN (BBTN) on Wednesday (Nov. 27) confirmed the appointment of Pahala N. Mansury and Chandra Hamzah as the new president director and the new president commissioner of the bank. The question now is, who will be appointed to lead the other major state-owned bank Bank Mandiri (BMRI)? Rumor has it that the former Minister of Energy & Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ignatius Jonan, and the former Minister of Fishery & Maritime Susi Pudjiastuti will join SOEs.
PAN’s New Chairmanship: Early Prediction (2)
The current Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan said that he’d seek his reelection in the upcoming PAN’s chairmanship congress early next year. Four other figures have also expressed their intention to run for the chairmanship, of whom former Minister of State Apparatus & Bureaucratic Reform (Menpan RB) Asman Abnur could be the strongest contender for Zulkifli.
Anies & Five Years of Wasted Opportunities
Some say that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) wasted ten years of his presidency. Anies Baswedan might be doing the same thing. The Governor of Jakarta has not pushed for major infrastructure development to address traffic jams and flood issues, which are the two most urgent problems in the city. Instead, he has focused on building sidewalks, renovating pedestrian bridges (JPOs), and renovating his official residence.
The Hardliners on the Move
The 212 Alumni Presidium (PA 212) plans to stage a mass gathering in the National Monument (Monas) Jakarta on December 2, 2019. They intend to commemorate the third anniversary of their movement. The number 212 refers to the massive anti-Ahok rally held in December 2, 2016. It’s one of the rallies that was staged by hardline Muslim groups associated in the National Movement for Guarding the Indonesian Ulema Council Fatwa (GNPF-MUI). Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan has given the PA 212 the permission to hold their gathering in Monas, but this time, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) asked the group to cancel their plan.