The competition in the 2018 regional election is expected to be a tight because political parties are nominating their best candidates.
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Kompas/Lasti Kurnia
The Home Ministry’s Regional Autonomy director general, Sumarsono (center), accompanied by Regional Head and Regional Legislative Council Facilities director Akmal Malik (left) and Regional Capacity Building Performance Evaluation director Gunawan (right), lead a meeting on the technical implementation of the 2018 simultaneous regional election on Monday (8/1) at the Home Ministry in Jakarta. Civil servants and state representatives participated in the meeting to prepare logistics for the regional election, particularly in connection with the role and function of regional administrations.
KUPANG, KOMPAS – The 2018 simultaneous regional elections, which will be held in 17 provinces and 154 regencies and cities on June 27, is expected to be tightly contested. This is because political competition is part of the parties’ preparation for the 2019 general election.
Regarding this matter, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said the practice of democracy in the regional elections should be carried out in accordance to the character of Indonesia as a nation, which is well-mannered and without trading insults. After choosing the best leader in the regional elections, the people must quickly reunite in the spirit of brotherhood.
“This is the democracy that we have. After the regional elections, let the leaders work for five years. If they are not good, don’t choose them. If they are good, feel free to choose them again,” Jokowi said at Kupang Muhammadiyah University, East Nusa Tenggara, on Monday.
Yet to decide
Because of stiff competition and the complicated political lobbies, day one of candidate registration yesterday has seen a number of political parties yet to decide on the candidate pair to nominate for a number of regions.
A number of prospective candidate pairs planned to register on the last day.
This meant that as of last night, based on General Elections Commission (KPU) data, only 71 prospective governor and deputy governor candidate pairs in 58 regions have registered with the KPU. Of that amount, nine prospective candidate pairs registered as independents, while the others are from political parties.
Nine prospective governor and deputy governor candidate pairs registered in seven provinces, 47 prospective candidates registered in 18 regencies and 15 prospective candidates registered in 11 cities.
KPU commissioner Ilham Saputra said the first day of registration went well. The registration period will end at midnight on Wednesday.
A number of prospective candidate pairs planned to register on the last day. This will be done by, among others, the prospective East Java governor and deputy governor candidate pairing of Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa and Trenggalek Regent Emil Elestianto Dardak.
Only Pak Jusuf Kalla and By Khofifah know the substance of the meeting.
Yesterday, Khofifah held a closed meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla. The meeting, which lasted for more than an hour, was held at the request of Khofifah.
The vice president’s secretary, Mohamad Oemar, said, “Only Pak Jusuf Kalla and Bu Khofifah know the substance of the meeting. It could be related to the candidacy of Ibu Khofifah in the East Java regional election.”
The candidate pair of Khofifah and Emil Dardak will be nominated by the Golkar Party, Democrat Party, United Development Party and Nasdem Party.
Last night, another prospective East Java governor candidate, Saifullah Yusuf, also held a meeting with PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
“Gus Ipul (Saifullah Yusuf’s nickname) passed on a message from Nadhlatul Ulama [NU] clerics in East Java who stressed that whatever happens, they want the PKB and the PDI-P to keep working together in East Java,” said PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto who accompanied Megawati to the meeting.
Gerindra Party planned to propose that its central board chairman, Moekhlas Sidik, be Saifullah’s partner.
The clerics also gave a recommendation on who should replace Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas, who has returned PDI-P’s mandate for him to become a prospective East Java governor candidate and Saifullah’s running mate. However, the clerics ultimately left the decision to Megawati.
Meanwhile, Gerindra Party deputy chairman Fadli Zon said the party planned to propose that its central board chairman, Moekhlas Sidik, be Saifullah’s partner. “But there is no final decision as yet,” he added.
Fadli said the possibility of putting a third candidate pair forward to compete against Saifullah and Khofifah-Emil Dardak was still wide open. “Everything is still being processed. The discussion and dialogue is long.”
Central Java
Regarding the Central Java regional election, the Gerindra Party -- along with PAN and the PKS -- has decided to nominate former Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said.
As of last night, the PPP has yet to make a decision on a candidate for the North Sumatra regional election.
Fadli said they were still looking for a prospective deputy governor candidate, adding that the coalition was still considering KH Maimoen Zubair’s son for that position.
Previously, Gerindra had wanted to nominate one of KH Maimoen’s sons, Taj Yasin Maimoen. However, he had already been courted by the PDI-P to partner Ganjar Pranowo. “The son (of KH Maimoen) is not only one. Other than that, there are two other names. We will see later. Basically it is still very dynamic,” Fadli said.
Meanwhile, PPP secretary-general Arsul Sani said his party would also support Ganjar Pranowo-Taj Yasin Maimoen in the Central Java election. Taj Yasin Maimoen is a PPP cadre.
As of last night, the PPP has yet to make a decision on a candidate for the North Sumatra regional election. Djarot Saiful Hidayat and Sihar Sitorus are supported by the PDI-P with 16 seats in the North Sumatra Regional Legislative Council. The PDI-P still needs four seats, which is held by the PPP, in the council to fulfill the requirement in order to nominate Djarot and Sihar.
