Indonesia heads to the polls on Nov 27 to elect its local leaders. Who are the rising stars, and what’s at stake for President Prabowo Subianto and businesses in the world’s third-biggest democracy?
Candidates from president Prabowo Subianto 's KIM Plus coalition and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri's PDI-P will be facing off in many provinces in Indonesia 's regional elections on Nov 27, 2024. JAKARTA : Indonesia will hold simultaneous regional elections next Wednesday , the largest in its history, to elect local leaders who will be instrumental in driving Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.
Regional leaders set the tone of the working relationship between the national government and their respective provinces, regencies and cities. In addition, they wield influence in attracting foreign investments and forging cross-border partnerships, analysts say. The metropolis, which is witnessing a close race for governor between the two leading candidates, is also set to lose its status as the country’s capital toThis means business interests and the regional elections are “inseparable”, said Madam Titi Anggraini, an election law lecturer at the University of Indonesia.
With the regional elections taking place just nine months after February’s presidential and legislative elections, analysts see an extension of the power play by Mr Prabowo’s Advance Indonesia Coalition and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri’sof political parties has been dubbed the KIM Plus, and is widely seen to be backed by his predecessor, Mr Widodo.
Mr Widodo has also endorsed KIM Plus' Jakarta candidate Mr Ridwan and its Central Java candidate Ahmad Luthfi. The two frontrunners in the three-horse race are KIM Plus coalition’s Mr Ridwan, who is a former West Java governor, andThe third candidate, retired police Commissioner General Dharma Pongrekun, is running independently.
Mr Dharma and his running mate Kun Wardana Abyoto have said they want to improve Jakarta’s spatial design to overcome its notorious traffic snarls.called out for sexist tweets “Perhaps people are bored because Ridwan has long been known, but people are starting to get to know Mr Pramono and Mr Rano and can see the strength of their visions, their seriousness, and their knowledge about Jakarta,” he added.In Central Java, the competition to become the province’s governor is neck and neck, with former military chief and retired four-star general Andika Perkasa facing off against two-star police general Ahmad Luthfi.
Mr Ahmad Luthfi was Central Java's police chief from May 2020 to July 2024. In the biggest province on the island, Mr Widodo’s son-in-law Bobby Nasution is running – and leading – against the PDI-P’s Edy Rahmayadi. Instead, he was perceived by many to have tacitly supported Mr Prabowo, whose running mate was Mr Widodo’s oldest child Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The Presidential Communications Office has said Mr Prabowo’s endorsement did not breach election rules. A cool relationship between a regional leader and the central government could mean provincial policies are not always in line with national directives, said Mr Nicky. But even if the relationship between the central and federal governments is not the best, the national government will still have the final say on big issues as most regions get their budget from the federal government, said election law lecturer Mdm Titi.Ultimately, regional governments have limited bargaining power but they can be spoilers.
"If this election runs well, it will further strengthen Indonesia in the context of global democracy, including in the region," said Mdm Titi. Central Java has many factories including Kendal Industrial Park, a joint venture between Singapore’s Sembcorp Development andKendal Industrial Park is a joint development between PT Jababeka and Sembcorp Development.
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