| The victory of Jokowi-Ahok, new hope for Jakarta People Donny Syofyan ; The Writer teaches in The School of Cultural Sciences at Andalas University, Padang |
JAKARTA POST, 26 September 2012
It is likely that Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will beat the incumbent Governor Fauzi Bowo in the Jakarta gubernatorial runoff race and many will congratulate Jokowi and his running mate, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama on the victory.
While the official result has not yet being announced, all quick count tabulations point toward a victory for Jokowi. Indeed, Fauzi Bowo already acknowledged his loss and congratulated Jokowi by telephone.
The people of Jakarta will hold Jokowi to his word for the next five years in his role as leader of the capital. Though Jakarta is not the only city in Indonesia, the Jakarta gubernatorial election has valuable lessons for the country’s citizens and politicians in their attempts to maintain democracy.
I view the success of Jokowi and Ahok in the Jakarta poll relating to four crucial matters.
First, the victory of the people’s political sovereignty. Jokowi has been supported by a plethora of quarters including artists, scholars, activists and many others. He received widespread support from the grass roots instead of politicians in the capital.
It was this, Jokowi’s populist appeal, that led people to vote for him without hesitation as the public, and not necessarily just Jakartans, are fed up with politicians only showing their “sweet faces” during campaign season. Voters have seen enough polite smiles, respect, manners and graciousness in Jakarta to realize that politicians strike with the left hand while giving a blessing with the right.
Some might say that Jokowi’s success in the development of Surakarta may not necessarily be transferable to Jakarta’s complicated needs. Such a pessimistic view is fallacious since leadership is not only about how you deal with a particular size of town. Rather, it is to do with political will and maintained commitment.
In addition, the programs offered by Jokowi — malls for small and medium-sized traders, improving public transport, development without forced eviction or apartment building in 44 sub-districts of Jakarta — are seen as welfare measures for the people of Jakarta who face soaring financial pressures.
Second, the fall of an established political institution. People still regard Fauzi Bowo’s campaign as conventional; flashy cars, waving hands and delivering speeches. To many Jakartans, it indicates a stale approach. In contrast to Fauzi, Jokowi employed a real and practical approach during his campaign. He chose to communicate with people without bodyguards or police officers escorting him.
The public easily identified discrepancies between Fauzi’s camouflage and Jokowi’s humbleness.
Furthermore, Jokowi showed exemplary political mannerisms during the campaign and encouraged his supporters to keep any inclination toward rowdiness in check. He understands that a hard five-year-long job is still ahead for him and his team. The results of this poll are a “new hope” for Jakartans.
I agree with this stance that there is nothing to celebrate as we are only at the beginning. We are yet to see how Jokowi and Ahok will deliver their promises in the best interest of Jakartans.
The victory of Jokowi may be the catalyst that sparks an alarming death rate that will affect big political parties. The “Jokowi factor” is more decisive and promising than the parties that back him; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party. Jokowi as a brand goes above and beyond the parties that support him. The ruling parties are actually under attack since transactional politics is no longer appealing to their constituents. Coalition for the people’s agenda is more preferred than parties’ short-term transactional politics.
Third, the failure of religious exploitation. In the past, many local elections showed religious issues to be have a detrimental effect on the victory or defeat of any candidates, be they governors, mayors or regents. To everyone’s surprise, Jakarta’s gubernatorial election was the exception.
Negative campaigning against Ahok, a Christian, was proven ineffective and fruitless. Voters now see that religion has been exploited for political gain. Jakartans have decided and proven that they prefer Jokowi’s programs and public policies over his religious expression.
Smart and enlightened voters in Jakarta have shown that they do not heed negative campaigns in the name of religion, in fact; in this case they chose to direct more sympathy to the candidates under fire. The victory of Jokowi should remind religious figures and organizations to refrain from the abuse of religion in the name of politics.
Religion should play a pivotal role in fostering peace rather than sharpening friction in the community.
Fourth and finally, improved decentralization takes place. With Jokowi and Ahok, non Jakarta natives, becoming governor and vice governor of Jakarta, the “trend” that local leaders must be natives is no longer relevant and obligatory. Frankly speaking, such an approach is misleading and has paved the way for an increasing number of unqualified persons to gain positions of power in government in many regions.
The Jakarta poll quashes the arrogant claim that Jakarta only belongs to, or is understood by, its natives.
Despite their success stories, many local elections show that a great number of governors lived outside their regions prior to election, examples such as West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno and governor of Gorontalo, Fadel Muhammad, both natives of their regions but prior to election lived and worked in the capital.
The victory of Jokowi teaches us that decentralization should be flexible and reciprocal, upholding the stance that there is nothing wrong with “out-of-towners” leading the capital. ●
While the official result has not yet being announced, all quick count tabulations point toward a victory for Jokowi. Indeed, Fauzi Bowo already acknowledged his loss and congratulated Jokowi by telephone.
The people of Jakarta will hold Jokowi to his word for the next five years in his role as leader of the capital. Though Jakarta is not the only city in Indonesia, the Jakarta gubernatorial election has valuable lessons for the country’s citizens and politicians in their attempts to maintain democracy.
I view the success of Jokowi and Ahok in the Jakarta poll relating to four crucial matters.
First, the victory of the people’s political sovereignty. Jokowi has been supported by a plethora of quarters including artists, scholars, activists and many others. He received widespread support from the grass roots instead of politicians in the capital.
It was this, Jokowi’s populist appeal, that led people to vote for him without hesitation as the public, and not necessarily just Jakartans, are fed up with politicians only showing their “sweet faces” during campaign season. Voters have seen enough polite smiles, respect, manners and graciousness in Jakarta to realize that politicians strike with the left hand while giving a blessing with the right.
Some might say that Jokowi’s success in the development of Surakarta may not necessarily be transferable to Jakarta’s complicated needs. Such a pessimistic view is fallacious since leadership is not only about how you deal with a particular size of town. Rather, it is to do with political will and maintained commitment.
In addition, the programs offered by Jokowi — malls for small and medium-sized traders, improving public transport, development without forced eviction or apartment building in 44 sub-districts of Jakarta — are seen as welfare measures for the people of Jakarta who face soaring financial pressures.
Second, the fall of an established political institution. People still regard Fauzi Bowo’s campaign as conventional; flashy cars, waving hands and delivering speeches. To many Jakartans, it indicates a stale approach. In contrast to Fauzi, Jokowi employed a real and practical approach during his campaign. He chose to communicate with people without bodyguards or police officers escorting him.
The public easily identified discrepancies between Fauzi’s camouflage and Jokowi’s humbleness.
Furthermore, Jokowi showed exemplary political mannerisms during the campaign and encouraged his supporters to keep any inclination toward rowdiness in check. He understands that a hard five-year-long job is still ahead for him and his team. The results of this poll are a “new hope” for Jakartans.
I agree with this stance that there is nothing to celebrate as we are only at the beginning. We are yet to see how Jokowi and Ahok will deliver their promises in the best interest of Jakartans.
The victory of Jokowi may be the catalyst that sparks an alarming death rate that will affect big political parties. The “Jokowi factor” is more decisive and promising than the parties that back him; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party. Jokowi as a brand goes above and beyond the parties that support him. The ruling parties are actually under attack since transactional politics is no longer appealing to their constituents. Coalition for the people’s agenda is more preferred than parties’ short-term transactional politics.
Third, the failure of religious exploitation. In the past, many local elections showed religious issues to be have a detrimental effect on the victory or defeat of any candidates, be they governors, mayors or regents. To everyone’s surprise, Jakarta’s gubernatorial election was the exception.
Negative campaigning against Ahok, a Christian, was proven ineffective and fruitless. Voters now see that religion has been exploited for political gain. Jakartans have decided and proven that they prefer Jokowi’s programs and public policies over his religious expression.
Smart and enlightened voters in Jakarta have shown that they do not heed negative campaigns in the name of religion, in fact; in this case they chose to direct more sympathy to the candidates under fire. The victory of Jokowi should remind religious figures and organizations to refrain from the abuse of religion in the name of politics.
Religion should play a pivotal role in fostering peace rather than sharpening friction in the community.
Fourth and finally, improved decentralization takes place. With Jokowi and Ahok, non Jakarta natives, becoming governor and vice governor of Jakarta, the “trend” that local leaders must be natives is no longer relevant and obligatory. Frankly speaking, such an approach is misleading and has paved the way for an increasing number of unqualified persons to gain positions of power in government in many regions.
The Jakarta poll quashes the arrogant claim that Jakarta only belongs to, or is understood by, its natives.
Despite their success stories, many local elections show that a great number of governors lived outside their regions prior to election, examples such as West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno and governor of Gorontalo, Fadel Muhammad, both natives of their regions but prior to election lived and worked in the capital.
The victory of Jokowi teaches us that decentralization should be flexible and reciprocal, upholding the stance that there is nothing wrong with “out-of-towners” leading the capital. ●