Elections and Political Mobility.
The
Jakarta Post
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o Mar
eApr
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Rabu
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OMei
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8
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9
23
OJun
24
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~
Jumat
cbaZYXWVUTSRQPONM
•
o
Sabtu
10
11
12
13
26
27
25
€)
OJur
OAgs
OSep
OOkt
Minggu
14
15
29
30
ONov
31
O'Des
Elections and political mobili y
f te r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n in A c e h , J a k a r ta a n d
W e s t J a v a w ill f o llo w s u it.
T h e e le c tio n s in J a k a r ta ( to
b e h e ld in th e c o m in g m o n th s ) a n d
W e st Ja v a (n e x t y e a r) h a v e d ra w n
p u b lic a tte n tio n
d u e to th e f a c t
th a t th e in c u m b e n ts
w ill ta k e o n
c o n te n d e r s f r o m o th e r r e g io n s a n d
lo c a l le a d e r s .
J a k a r ta
v o te r s
w e re
s u r p r is e d
b y th e c a n d id a c y o f J o k o " J o k o w i"
W id o d o a n d h is r u n n in g m a te B a s u k i " A h o k " T ja h a ja P u r n a m a a n d th e
p a ir o f S o u th S u m a tr a g o v e r n o r A le x
N o e r d in a n d f o r m e r M a r in e C o r p s
com m ander N ono Sam pono.
T h e f ir s t tic k e t is n o m in a te d b y
th e I n d o n e s ia n D e m o c r a tic P a r ty o f
S tr u g g le ( P D I - P ) , th e G r e a t I n d o n e s ia M o v e m e n t P a r ty ( G e r in d r a ) a n d
2 7 p o litic a l p a r tie s th a t a r e n o t r e p r e s e n te d in th e C ity C o u n c il, w h ile
th e s e c o n d is s u p p o r te d b y a c o a litio n o f th e G o lk a r P a r ty , th e U n ite d
D e v e lo p m e n t
P a r ty ( P P P ) a n d th e
P e a c e P r o s p e r o u s P a r ty ( P D S ) .
J o k o w i is th e m a y o r o f S u r a k a r ta
a n d A h o k w a s f o r m e r ly th e r e g e n t
o f E a s t B e litu n g in B a n g k a - B e litu n g
b e f o r e h is e le c tio n to th e H o u s e o f
R e p r e s e n ta tiv e s ( D P R ) in 2 0 0 9 .
I n W e s t J a v a , a n u m b e r o f r e ig n in g r e g e n ts h a v e a n n o u n c e d
th e ir
b id to e n te r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l r a c e .
C ir e b o n
R egent
D edi
S u p a r d i,
Sum edang
R e g e n t D o n M u rd o n o
a n d K u n in g a n R e g e n t A a n g H a m id
A
~.'.'
~,
..
'/.
o r,;
.,;~
,... $ ::
i"
Muradi
BANDUNG
S u g a n d a w ill f ig h t e a c h o th e r to
w in e n d o r s e m e n t
f r o m th e P D I - P .
B a n d u n g M a y o r D a d a R o s a d a w ill
s e e k s u p p o r t f r o m P r e s id e n t S u s ilo
B a m b a n g Y u d h o y o n o 's D e m o c r a tic
P a r ty . G o lk a r 's W e s t J a v a c h a ir m a n I r ia n to " Y a n c e " M S S y a f iu d d in , a tw o - tim e I n d r a m a y u r e g e n t,
h a s o p e n ly a n n o u n c e d h is q u e s t f o r
th e g o v e r n o r p o s t, c la im in g to h a v e
s e c u r e d th e b le s s in g o f G o lk a r b o s s
A b u r iz a l B a k r ie .
N e w ly d is m is s e d S u b a n g r e g e n t
E e p H id a y a t o n c e in te n d e d to jo in
th e r a c e , b u t h is im p r is o n m e n t h a s a ll
b u t d a s h e d a n y h o p e o f r u n n in g .
I n c u m b e n t·
G o v e rn o r
A hm ad
H e r y a w a n o f th e P r o s p e r o u s J u s tic e
P a r ty ( P R S ) a n d h is d e p u ty , D e d e
Y u s u f , o f th e D e m o c r a tic P a r ty , w ill
a lm o s t c e r ta in ly ta k e p a r t in th e 2 0 1 3
e le c tio n a s r iv a ls .
H o w e v e r , th e r e a r e th r e e in te r e s tin g . p o in ts r e la te d to th e r is e o f th e
lo c a l le a d e r s in th e u p c o m in g W e s t
J a v a g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n .
The
f ir s t is th e p o litic a l r e g e n e r a tio n
p r o c e s s , w h e r e lo c a l le a d e r s w h o
succeed
in le a d in g th e ir r e g io n s
a r e p r o m o te d to a m o r e s tr a te g ic o r
Kllping
Humas
h ig h e r p o s t lik e g o v e r n o r o f J a k a r ta
and W est Java.
J o k o w i is k n o w n a s th e " m o s t
w a n te d " c a d r e o f th e P D I - P a n d
A h o k o f G e r in d r a is a ls o . r e m e m b e re d a s a su c c e ssfu l re g e n t o f E a st
B e litu n g . G o lk a r p ic k e d A le x a s its
c a n d id a te f o r th e J a k a r ta e le c tio n
a ls o d u e to h is c o m m e n d a b le p e r f o r m a n c e a s S o u th S u m a tr a g o v e r n o r .
T h e s e c o n d is p o litic a l p a r tie s '
c o m m itm e n t to th e im p r o v e m e n t o f
in te r n a l p o litic a l e d u c a tio n , w h ic h
in th e p a s t f a ile d to p r o d u c e q u a lity
c a n d id a te s f o r p u b lic p o s ts . I n m a n y
e le c tio n s f o r th e r e g e n t a n d d e p u ty
r e g e n t p o s ts a n d th e le g is la tiv e e le c tio n s , p o litic a l p a r tie s w e r e te m p te d
to n o m in a te c e le b r itie s w ith a h o p e
to w in v o te s v ia th e ir p o p u la r ity .
T h e th ir d p o in t is a b o u t th e p o litic a l m o b ility p r o c e s s w h e r e s u c c e s s f u l lo c a l le a d e r s a r e g iv e n o p p o r tu n itie s to tr y th e ir b e s t to w in s e a ts in
s tr a te g ic a n d g r e a te r r e g io n s . T h e r e
a r e m a n y r e a s o n s b e h in d s u c h p o litic a l m o b ility , in c lu d in g p e r s o n a l in te r e s t a n d th e s k ills o f c a d r e s , a lo n g
w ith a c o m b in a tio n o f p o litic a l a n d
f in a n c ia l in te r e s ts o f p a r tie s .
. I n o tic e , h o w e v e r , th e r is e o f c a n d id a te s f o r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n s in J a k a r ta a n d W e s t J a v a a r e
lim ite d to p o litic a l m o b ility b a s e d o n
s h o r t- te r m p o litic a l in te r e s ts .
H o w e v e r , th e p o litic a l m a c h in e
f o r th e e le c tio n p r o c e s s is n o t c o m p le te ly c o n tr o lle d
b y th e c e n tr a l
Unpad
2011
board of each political party, but is
also related to the electability level
of the local candidates. The problem
is that their ability and electability in
greater and more strategic regions
has not yet been proven.
The positive and appreciated effort of the local leaders, however, is
in their eagerness to strengthen the
democratic process. They show that
the local democracy in Indonesia
works dynamically and responds
positively to people's demand for alternative leaders. To be a leader, one
should not only rely on fame and
money, but also performance within
a political party.
The presence of candidates from
the regions, promoted by political
parties, for the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Jakarta and West
Java is a lesson for political parties
to seriously improve their internal
political education.
They have to develop a new
mechanism that provides their cadres with equal opportunities to contest public posts. Once they succeed
in local levels, they will have the opportunity to compete in a bigger and
more strategic political stage like
the Jakarta gubernatorial election in
July this year.
The writer is a lecturer of the
Department of Governance Studies
at Padjadjaran University, Band~ng.
Jakarta Post
-
o
-
-----
o
Se/asa
4
6
5
20
21
o Mar
eApr
o
Rabu
7
22
OMei
-
----
8
-
o
Kamis
9
23
OJun
24
--
~
Jumat
cbaZYXWVUTSRQPONM
•
o
Sabtu
10
11
12
13
26
27
25
€)
OJur
OAgs
OSep
OOkt
Minggu
14
15
29
30
ONov
31
O'Des
Elections and political mobili y
f te r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n in A c e h , J a k a r ta a n d
W e s t J a v a w ill f o llo w s u it.
T h e e le c tio n s in J a k a r ta ( to
b e h e ld in th e c o m in g m o n th s ) a n d
W e st Ja v a (n e x t y e a r) h a v e d ra w n
p u b lic a tte n tio n
d u e to th e f a c t
th a t th e in c u m b e n ts
w ill ta k e o n
c o n te n d e r s f r o m o th e r r e g io n s a n d
lo c a l le a d e r s .
J a k a r ta
v o te r s
w e re
s u r p r is e d
b y th e c a n d id a c y o f J o k o " J o k o w i"
W id o d o a n d h is r u n n in g m a te B a s u k i " A h o k " T ja h a ja P u r n a m a a n d th e
p a ir o f S o u th S u m a tr a g o v e r n o r A le x
N o e r d in a n d f o r m e r M a r in e C o r p s
com m ander N ono Sam pono.
T h e f ir s t tic k e t is n o m in a te d b y
th e I n d o n e s ia n D e m o c r a tic P a r ty o f
S tr u g g le ( P D I - P ) , th e G r e a t I n d o n e s ia M o v e m e n t P a r ty ( G e r in d r a ) a n d
2 7 p o litic a l p a r tie s th a t a r e n o t r e p r e s e n te d in th e C ity C o u n c il, w h ile
th e s e c o n d is s u p p o r te d b y a c o a litio n o f th e G o lk a r P a r ty , th e U n ite d
D e v e lo p m e n t
P a r ty ( P P P ) a n d th e
P e a c e P r o s p e r o u s P a r ty ( P D S ) .
J o k o w i is th e m a y o r o f S u r a k a r ta
a n d A h o k w a s f o r m e r ly th e r e g e n t
o f E a s t B e litu n g in B a n g k a - B e litu n g
b e f o r e h is e le c tio n to th e H o u s e o f
R e p r e s e n ta tiv e s ( D P R ) in 2 0 0 9 .
I n W e s t J a v a , a n u m b e r o f r e ig n in g r e g e n ts h a v e a n n o u n c e d
th e ir
b id to e n te r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l r a c e .
C ir e b o n
R egent
D edi
S u p a r d i,
Sum edang
R e g e n t D o n M u rd o n o
a n d K u n in g a n R e g e n t A a n g H a m id
A
~.'.'
~,
..
'/.
o r,;
.,;~
,... $ ::
i"
Muradi
BANDUNG
S u g a n d a w ill f ig h t e a c h o th e r to
w in e n d o r s e m e n t
f r o m th e P D I - P .
B a n d u n g M a y o r D a d a R o s a d a w ill
s e e k s u p p o r t f r o m P r e s id e n t S u s ilo
B a m b a n g Y u d h o y o n o 's D e m o c r a tic
P a r ty . G o lk a r 's W e s t J a v a c h a ir m a n I r ia n to " Y a n c e " M S S y a f iu d d in , a tw o - tim e I n d r a m a y u r e g e n t,
h a s o p e n ly a n n o u n c e d h is q u e s t f o r
th e g o v e r n o r p o s t, c la im in g to h a v e
s e c u r e d th e b le s s in g o f G o lk a r b o s s
A b u r iz a l B a k r ie .
N e w ly d is m is s e d S u b a n g r e g e n t
E e p H id a y a t o n c e in te n d e d to jo in
th e r a c e , b u t h is im p r is o n m e n t h a s a ll
b u t d a s h e d a n y h o p e o f r u n n in g .
I n c u m b e n t·
G o v e rn o r
A hm ad
H e r y a w a n o f th e P r o s p e r o u s J u s tic e
P a r ty ( P R S ) a n d h is d e p u ty , D e d e
Y u s u f , o f th e D e m o c r a tic P a r ty , w ill
a lm o s t c e r ta in ly ta k e p a r t in th e 2 0 1 3
e le c tio n a s r iv a ls .
H o w e v e r , th e r e a r e th r e e in te r e s tin g . p o in ts r e la te d to th e r is e o f th e
lo c a l le a d e r s in th e u p c o m in g W e s t
J a v a g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n .
The
f ir s t is th e p o litic a l r e g e n e r a tio n
p r o c e s s , w h e r e lo c a l le a d e r s w h o
succeed
in le a d in g th e ir r e g io n s
a r e p r o m o te d to a m o r e s tr a te g ic o r
Kllping
Humas
h ig h e r p o s t lik e g o v e r n o r o f J a k a r ta
and W est Java.
J o k o w i is k n o w n a s th e " m o s t
w a n te d " c a d r e o f th e P D I - P a n d
A h o k o f G e r in d r a is a ls o . r e m e m b e re d a s a su c c e ssfu l re g e n t o f E a st
B e litu n g . G o lk a r p ic k e d A le x a s its
c a n d id a te f o r th e J a k a r ta e le c tio n
a ls o d u e to h is c o m m e n d a b le p e r f o r m a n c e a s S o u th S u m a tr a g o v e r n o r .
T h e s e c o n d is p o litic a l p a r tie s '
c o m m itm e n t to th e im p r o v e m e n t o f
in te r n a l p o litic a l e d u c a tio n , w h ic h
in th e p a s t f a ile d to p r o d u c e q u a lity
c a n d id a te s f o r p u b lic p o s ts . I n m a n y
e le c tio n s f o r th e r e g e n t a n d d e p u ty
r e g e n t p o s ts a n d th e le g is la tiv e e le c tio n s , p o litic a l p a r tie s w e r e te m p te d
to n o m in a te c e le b r itie s w ith a h o p e
to w in v o te s v ia th e ir p o p u la r ity .
T h e th ir d p o in t is a b o u t th e p o litic a l m o b ility p r o c e s s w h e r e s u c c e s s f u l lo c a l le a d e r s a r e g iv e n o p p o r tu n itie s to tr y th e ir b e s t to w in s e a ts in
s tr a te g ic a n d g r e a te r r e g io n s . T h e r e
a r e m a n y r e a s o n s b e h in d s u c h p o litic a l m o b ility , in c lu d in g p e r s o n a l in te r e s t a n d th e s k ills o f c a d r e s , a lo n g
w ith a c o m b in a tio n o f p o litic a l a n d
f in a n c ia l in te r e s ts o f p a r tie s .
. I n o tic e , h o w e v e r , th e r is e o f c a n d id a te s f o r th e g u b e r n a to r ia l
e le c tio n s in J a k a r ta a n d W e s t J a v a a r e
lim ite d to p o litic a l m o b ility b a s e d o n
s h o r t- te r m p o litic a l in te r e s ts .
H o w e v e r , th e p o litic a l m a c h in e
f o r th e e le c tio n p r o c e s s is n o t c o m p le te ly c o n tr o lle d
b y th e c e n tr a l
Unpad
2011
board of each political party, but is
also related to the electability level
of the local candidates. The problem
is that their ability and electability in
greater and more strategic regions
has not yet been proven.
The positive and appreciated effort of the local leaders, however, is
in their eagerness to strengthen the
democratic process. They show that
the local democracy in Indonesia
works dynamically and responds
positively to people's demand for alternative leaders. To be a leader, one
should not only rely on fame and
money, but also performance within
a political party.
The presence of candidates from
the regions, promoted by political
parties, for the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Jakarta and West
Java is a lesson for political parties
to seriously improve their internal
political education.
They have to develop a new
mechanism that provides their cadres with equal opportunities to contest public posts. Once they succeed
in local levels, they will have the opportunity to compete in a bigger and
more strategic political stage like
the Jakarta gubernatorial election in
July this year.
The writer is a lecturer of the
Department of Governance Studies
at Padjadjaran University, Band~ng.