Indonesia’s Jakarta Governor Prepared to Run for Presidential Election in 2024

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, who appears as one of the popular candidates to run for the election based on several polls, said that he is prepared to run for the presidential election in 2024.

“I’m prepared to run for president if a party nominates me,” Anies told Reuters in an interview in Singapore on Thursday, Sept. 15.

He also added that not being a member of a party allows him “room to communicate with all factions”.

Anies will end his five-year term as governor on Oct. 16 this year. 

Kompas.com previously reported that some political parties have expressed their intentions to support Anies in the contestation of the presidential election due on Feb. 14, 2024.

Also read: Anies Baswedan: Jakarta Govt Doing Its Best in Mitigating Covid-19

Chair of the Nasdem party’s central executive board (DPP) Willy Aditya said Anies has expressed readiness to be chosen by the Nasdem party as a presidential candidate.

Willy said the declaration to support Anies as the party’s presidential candidate is likely to take place on Nov. 10 on the occasion of National Heroes Day.

“Once a deal has been reached, the declaration may take place on Nov. 10. We should be ready. If not, then how?” Willy told reporters on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

He reiterated that his party has communicated with Anies regarding the possibility of his candidacy. However, no final decision has been made due to the existing political dynamics.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), the eldest son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has received support to become Anis’ running mate in the presidential election.

Also read: Jakarta Governor’s Term of Office to End on Oct. 16

Head of the Democratic Party regional executive board (DPD) in Jakarta, Mujiyono, said that it is the aspiration of Jakarta residents who want Anies to become AHY’s running mate.

“His name appears following the aspiration of Jakarta residents. It will be different in Central Java,” said Mujiyono, who is also a member of the Jakarta Legislative Council.

“For me, it is how to succeed the candidate in Jakarta with all the potential we have, including through coalition. I must seek all the possible chances,” Mujiyono said.

Anies’ high electability

Based on opinion polls conducted by Kompas’ Research and Development Department, Chairman of the Gerindra Party Prabowo Subianto, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, and Anies are among the top figures in the survey.

Also read: Greater Jakarta LRT to Begin Operation in June 2023

The survey conducted from May 26 to June 4, 2022, placed Prabowo first after 25.3 percent of the total respondents would vote for him, followed by Ganjar with 22 percent and Anies with 12.6 percent.

According to the National Survey Institute (LSN), Anies’ electability reached 16.8 percent in September, down from 18.8 percent of the survey in Feb. 2022 and 18.5 percent in June 2022.

LSN executive director Gema Nusantara said Anies’ electability declined because it was unclear which political party would support him to contest in the 2024 presidential election.

(Writers: Kanupriya Kapoor/Reuters, Tatang Guritno, Muhammad Naufal, Vitorio Mantalean/Kompas.com | Editor: Ivany Atina Arbi)

Source: https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2022/09/16/06222951/anies-mengaku-siap-maju-sebagai-calon-presiden-pada-2024-jika?page=all#page3.