People Still Need Attention

There are no political parties or political figures participating in elections who want to lose. Everyone wants to win. It's just a matter of how.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

A motorcyclist passes a mural of the seven presidents of the Republic of Indonesia cartoony depicted on a wall in the Pisangan area, South Tangerang, Banten, Sunday (11/14/2021).

Since the middle of last year, a number of political parties and political figures have been preparing themselves for the 2024 General Election. Political parties want to re-enter the legislative elections, while political figures and public figures pretend to take part in the regional head election of members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD). Some others are hoping to become a presidential or vice presidential candidate. A number of other people, through political parties, also want to become the people’s representatives either in the DPRD or in the House of Representatives (DPR).

Of course, what catches the public's attention is the nomination of president and vice president. Their competition is enlivened by various survey institutions as well. The survey results become a reference for a number of political parties to determine their favorite candidate, regardless of whether their own cadres, cadres of other parties or non-political party figures.

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Figures that are favored in various survey institutions and in the community talks try to maintain their opportunities in various ways. However, what is most often seen is the meeting of a number of political elites. The meeting became more frequent after the Nasdem Party declared Anies Rasyid Baswedan, the Governor of DKI Jakarta, as a presidential candidate on Monday (3/10/2022). Kompas daily reported the elite meetings were becoming more dynamic (Kompas, 9/10/2022).

The Nasdem Party cannot carry Anies alone and requires a coalition with other parties. On Friday (7/10), Anies met the chairman of the Democratic Party, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. On Saturday (8/10), the chairman of Golkar, Airlangga Hartarto, met the executive of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Puan Maharani. The same day, PDI-P’s chairperson, Megawati Soekarnoputri, met President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Puan previously also met the chairman of the Nasdem Party, Surya Paloh, and the chairperson of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Prabowo Subianto.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Chairman of the National Democratic Party Surya Paloh (front right) and DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan (front left) during the Announcement of Presidential Candidates for the 2024 Election at Nasdem Tower, Jakarta, Monday (3/10/2022).

The Indonesian Socialist Party (PSI) announced the candidacy of Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and activist Zannuba Ariffah Chafsoh (Yenny Wahid) as president and vice president on Monday (3/10). Previously, other parties had also announced their presidential candidate, such as Prabowo, who was promoted by the Gerindra Party.

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> Public Benefits from Early Presidential Candidate Announcements

> Political Parties Read the People’s Aspirations

This daily poll shows that Anies' declaration as a presidential candidate further strengthens the efforts of other parties to immediately determine their position. The various political elite meetings that took place were part of the strategy to obtain a coalition. However, it is hoped that the final coalition of political parties will not occur in the near future (Kompas, 10/10/2022).

Almost all the political elites who are rushing to build communication for the presidential and vice presidential candidacy are part of President Jokowi's government, which will end in October 2024. The desire to win the election should not distract them from the attention to the welfare of the people. The pandemic is not over yet and the world is soon entering a period of global crisis. The people still need attention.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.