President Joko Widodo’s Interventions in the 2024 Regional Elections

By Francisca Christy Rosana for Tempo Magazine, May 12, 2024

How will Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo pave the way for people close to him to compete in the 2024 regional elections? People close to President Widodo are planning to compete in the 2024 regional elections. The Palace is helping to pave their way.

Chief of police runs for office

On Thursday afternoon, May 9, 2024, the early twentieth-century Dutch home known as Omah Londo on Untung Suropati Street on the outskirts of the town of Lasem in Rembang Regency, Central Java province, was bustling. The aging colonial home, now often used for batik textile exhibitions, has become the campaign headquarters for Central Java provincial Police Chief, Inspector General Ahmad Luthfi, who is running in the 2024 regional elections for Governor of Central Java.

A silver Toyota Avanza was parked in the yard, its rear window adorned with a sticker reading “Central Java Police Social Media Team” in capital letters. The vehicle, bearing the license plate B-1194-EFS, was covered with photos and caricatures of Inspector General Luthfi in his police uniform.

A pickup truck with “Lasem Police” written on it then drive into the forecourt, loaded with bamboo poles. People inside the house emerged to unload the bamboo. Once the truck left, they attached red-and-white flags to the poles and set them up around the forecourt.

When approached by Tempo Magazine amid all the activity, those around the house identified themselves as members of the “Mr. Ahmad Luthfi Supports Community.” Volunteer member Suparno Gusno explained that the group supports Inspector General Luthfi to stand as candidate for Governor of Central Java. “We have 50 members, including street vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers, and ordinary citizens,” he said.

Suparno said that the volunteers had rented the house in the town of Lasem on the north coast of Java until December, a month after regional elections are scheduled to be held national wide on November 27, 2024. However, Tempo Magazine obtained information suggesting that Rembang Regency Police Chief Assistant Senior Commissioner Suryadi was involved in the rental arrangement.

It is claimed that Assistant Senior Commissioner Suryadi had reported the rental of the campaign headquarters to Inspector General Luthfi. When contacted by phone on Thursday, May 9, 2024, Assistant Senior Commission Suryadi claimed he had been only reporting on the situation in Rembang Regency. He denied any involvement in renting the house.

According to Assistant Senior Commissioner Suryadi, the rent for the property, which rambles over a thousand square meters, amounts to billions of rupiah. “The house has simply been rented by campaign volunteers,” Assistant Senior Commissioner Suryadi said.

Signs everywhere

Signs that Inspector General Luthfi might run for Governor of Central Java are evident across the province. About 50 meters from Omah Londo House in Lasem, a billboard featuring Inspector General Luthfi’s face stands in front of the Lasem Police Station. Inspector General Luthfi’s portrait takes up nearly half of the billboard, which reads “Central Java Police Department Is Present.”

Similar billboards have been put up in many places throughout Central Java. On Merdeka Timur Street in Boyolali Regency, a billboard with Inspector General Luthfi’s picture in police uniform is displayed in front of Soekarno Boulevard. Meanwhile, billboards wishing a happy Eid al-Fitr from Inspector General Luthfi are visible on Ahmad Yani Street in Sukoharjo Regency and Bhayangkara Street in the city of Solo.

Who is responsible for the billboards? A mid-level officer in Central Java admitted that his superior had ordered him to print and install Inspector Geneal Luthfi’s billboards in strategic locations before the end of Ramadhan. The locations included intersections, main roads, provincial roads, and streets near shopping centers. The officer was also instructed to print stickers with Inspector General Luthfi’s face and distribute them to residents and community leaders. Two government officials, including a local leader in Central Java, said that Inspector General Luthfi has approached religious leaders through spokespeople, asking them to support his gubernatorial bid.

As Inspector Genearl Luthfi’s billboards proliferated, various polling organization began featuring the 1989 graduate of the military officer’s staff college. A survey by Kanigoro Network, released in late March 2024, reported Inspector Geneal Luthfi’s popularity rating at 25.1 percent, in front of former Semarang Mayor Hendrar Prihadi, whose popularity rating stood at 23.8 percent.

When door stopped at the Boyolali police station on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Inspector General Luthfi declined to comment on his plans to run for Governor of Central Java. “No, no,” said the former police chief of the city of Solo.

Backing from the top

The emergence of Ahmad Luthfi as a candidate in the Central Java regional elections is believed to involve President Joko Widodo. According to several close associates, Luthfi has confided that President Widodo instructed him to prepare to run for governor. These sources indicate that the conversation took place in Solo around March 2024, just before Ramadan.

President Widodo initially asked Luthfi if he was interested in leading Central Java. The President then encouraged Luthfi to start engaging with political figures to secure a ticket for the 2024 elections and to increase his public visibility.

PDI-P heartland

The same sources revealed that President Widodo warned Luthfi about the challenges of the Central Java election. Since 1998, candidates backed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) have consistently won in Central Java. Currently, there are two strong gubernatorial candidates from PDI-P, Central Java PDI-P party chair Bambang Wuryanto and former Semarang Mayor Hendrar Prihadi.

Four of Luthfi’s colleagues confided that President Widodo plans to help him secure endorsements from political parties. The President is said to have asked his successor, Gerindra Party Chairman and President elect Prabowo Subianto, to support Luthfi. President Widodo also suggested that Prabowo consider Central Java Gerindra party chair Sudaryono as Luthfi’s running mate.

Sudaryono, who intends to run for Central Java Governor, has been touring the province for three months to boost his popularity rating. A survey by the Indonesian Electoral Study Institute, released on April 28, 2024, showed Sudaryono’s popularity rating at 19.1 percent.

Sudaryono confirmed to Tempo Magazine that Prabowo had directly instructed him to run for governor. “Gerindra party prioritizes internal candidates,” Sudaryono said via voice message on Friday, May 10, 2024.

However, Sudaryono’s candidacy is not yet certain. Gerindra’s party executive chair Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said that Prabowo had asked Sudaryono to assist at the national level, though not as a minister. Dasco denied that the request was to avoid competing with President Widodo in Central Java. “That’s not true,” he said on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Searching for a partner

Ahmad Luthfi has also approached other parties, including PDI-P, the National Awakening Party (PKB), and the Golkar Party. Three sources familiar with these approaches said Luthfi invited Semarang PDI-P party chair Hendrar Prihadi to his official residence three days before Ramadan. Luthfi offered to make Hendrar his running mate.

Luthfi’s team even guaranteed logistical support if they paired up. Hendrar, known as Hendi, confirmed the meeting and did not deny the coalition offer. However, the chair of the Government Procurement Policy Agency said the decision rested with PDI-P’s party national chair. “I am a PDI-P member; the decision is in the hands of the chairperson,” he said via text message on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Luthfi extended a similar offer to Central Java National Awakening Party chair Muhammad Yusuf Chudlori. The National Awakening Party’s national chair Muhaimin Iskandar said he was told about Luthfi’s proposal on Friday, May 3, 2024. Muhaimin advised Yusuf to run for governor, and not accept the offer.

“I told Gus Yusuf, if it’s only for deputy governor, don’t bother. Let someone else take that,” said the Deputy Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives at his official residence on Monday, May 6, 2024. Yusuf said that the National Awakening Party intended to nominate an internal candidate for governor and would only need to form a coalition with one other party to participate in the election.

In his approach to the Golkar Party, Luthfi invited Kendal Regent Dico Ganinduto to be his running mate. Dico has received his party’s blessing to run in the race for Central Java Governor. “I was tasked by Golkar’s chair to communicate with various parties, including the Police Chief,” he said on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Presidential support for Luthfi is rooted in the close relationship between Luthfi and Joko Widodo. When President Widodo was mayor of the city of Solo in 2011, Luthfi served as Deputy Police Chief of Solo. Two colleagues recounted that Luthfi often accompanied Joko Widodo to lunch. In 2020, Luthfi became the police chief of Central Java province.

Luthfi’s appointment sparked controversy within the National Police, as he did not graduate from the Police Academy. Typically, regional police chiefs are Police Academy graduates. Luthfi has also been the longest-serving Central Java Police Chief.

In the 2024 presidential election, Luthfi is suspected of aiding the campaign of President Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who ran as ultimately victorious running mate of Prabowo Subianto. Tempo Magazine’s investigation suggests that Luthfi instructed his subordinates to gather testimonials from university professors in Central Java to counter criticism of President Widodo’s so-called political dynasty.

Luthfi is set to retire at the end of 2024. Three colleagues indicated that the Presidential Palace plans to bestow an additional star on Luthfi’s shoulders before the 2024 elections. Luthfi did not respond to Tempo Magazine’s calls or text messages by Friday, May 10, 2024. He also did not reply to a letter requesting an interview sent by Tempo Magazine.

President Widodo stated that Luthfi’s gubernatorial aspirations were his own. “Please ask him directly. Don’t always ask me about every election matter,” the President said in Karawang, West Java, on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Sendi Fardiansyah for Bogor Mayor

On March 18, 2024, Sendi Fardiansyah, the head of First Lady Iriana’s personal staff, met President Joko Widodo at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java. Sendi conveyed his intention to run for Mayor of the city of Bogor. He brought several pages of survey results he had conducted independently, which showed his popularity rating at third among a field of potential candidates.

The survey indicated that Sendi was trailing behind incumbent Mayor Dedie Abdu Rachim and Bogor Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) chair Atang Trisnanto. “The President said my survey results were still insufficient,” Sendi told Tempo Magazine in Bogor on Thursday, May 9, 2024. According to Sendi, President Widodo advised him to conduct more grassroots visits.

President Widodo also suggested that Sendi regularly monitor his survey results until August 2024, before the candidate registration period. The President encouraged Sendi to run in the 2024 elections if his popularity rating improved significantly.

Before meeting with the President, Sendi sought approval from the First Lady. First Lady Iriana advised Sendi to discuss his plans with her husband. After receiving the green light from the First Family, Sendi began efforts to boost his popularity rating. By late March 2024, he had put up billboards featuring his picture on Bogor’s main roads, including those frequently traveled by President Widodo.

On Sunday, May 5, 2024, Sendi registered as a candidate for election for regional head with the Gerindra Party, PDI-P, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the NasDem Party, and the Democratic Party. He claimed to have met current President elect Prabowo Subianto in August 2023 to seek support from his Gerindra Party. “Mr. Prabowo asked me to pay attention to the survey results.”

Hedging bets

Pepen Firdaus, Secretary of the Gerindra Party’s Bogor branch, said the party had not yet decided to support Sendi. The Gerindra Party prioritizes internal party candidates for the mayoral position. “Within the Gerindra Party, there are two individuals who have registered as mayoral candidates,” Pepen said when contacted on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Dadang Iskandar Danubrata, chair of PDI-P’s Bogor branch, also stated that his party had not yet decided on a candidate. He is waiting for recommendations from PDI-P national chairperson Ms. Megawati Soekarnoputri regarding candidates for regional head positions. The PDI-P will eventually conduct a selection process for its candidates.

A senior PDI-P official said the party is reluctant to endorse President Widodo’s close associates because of the perception that President Widodo betrayed the PDI-P by backing Messrs. Prabowo and Gibran in the 2024 presidential election, while the PDI-P endorsed Ganjar Pranowo and running mate Mahfud Md. The strained relationship is expected to make it difficult for President Widodo’s inner circle to gain PDI-P endorsements.

Sendi has been planning to run for Mayor of Bogor since 2020. He discussed his plans with Anggit Nugroho, President Widodo’s former personal assistant. Last year, Sendi began seeking support from political figures through the wives of ministers who are part of the Organization for Action and Solidarity in the Term of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet (OASE), founded by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo.

Wife of Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs

Through Yanti Airlangga, wife of Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Sendi claimed to have met with the Golkar Party chair from whom he sought the support of the Golkar Party. According to Sendi, Airlangga expressed his support to First Lady Iriana in the Central Java city of Solo in July 2023. Airlangga did not respond to Tempo Magazine’s calls and messages by Friday, May 10, 2024.

Having worked with First Lady Iriana for about nine years, Sendi is considered close to the Solo family. In 2012, when President Widodo was the Governor of Jakarta, Sendi, who was with the National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN), helped secure the governor’s office from eavesdropping activities. After President Widodo was inaugurated as president, he requested that BSSN assign Sendi to be First Lady Iriana’s assistant.

Devid Agus Yunanto for Boyolali Regent

Besides Sendi, another close associate of President Widodo, Devid Agus Yunanto, is also in the running for a regional head position. Three of his close associates said Devid was being pushed to run for the position of district head of Boyolali Regency. Billboards featuring Devid are also widespread there. Utje Gustaaf Patty, chair of Widodo support group “President Jokowi Volunteer Front” (or Bara JP), said that the billboards and banners were put up by volunteers.

“We have called for Mr. Devid to run in Boyolali,” Utje said in South Jakarta on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. However, three sources close to the Widodo family said that the Palace has advised Devid against running in Boyolali, a stronghold of the PDI-P, which holds 38 of the 45 district legislative seats in the regency.

Devid’s prominence has since waned. Two close associates said Devid had received a new assignment as the President’s personal assistant, replacing Anggit Nugroho. Devid denied any intention to run for regional head. “I have never declared my candidacy in the race for Boyolali Regent,” he said via text message.

Khofifah Indar Parawansa

President Joko Widodo is extending significant support to former East Java provincial governor Ms. Khofifah Indar Parawansa for the 2024 regional elections. Two individuals close to the former East Java Governor confirmed that President Widodo has ask Khofifah to run in the upcoming elections. This direction was also communicated through Minister for the State Secretariat Mr. Pratikno, although Pratikno did not respond to Tempo Magazines calls and messages.

Khofifah has also garnered backing from parties that supported the ticket of President elect Prabowo Subianto and running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka in February’s recent presidential election. Khofifah publicly declared her support for Prabowo and Gibran. “Internal communication within Prabowo’s Advanced Indonesia Coalition is very solid for East Java,” said Dedi Irwansa, Secretary of the Democratic Electoral Board of East Java, on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

An associate of former President and chair of the Democratic Party’s Senior Council, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, revealed that the former president also supports Khofifah. During a meeting in the East Java city of Malang before the Prabowo-Gibran campaign on February 1, 2024, Yudhoyono met Khofifah. He expressed that both the Presidential Palace and the coalition parties had agreed to support the former Minister of Social Affairs.

The Gerindra Party is also gearing up to support Khofifah. “There has been a directive from the Gerindra Party’s Central Executive Board,” said Anwar Sadad, chair of the Gerindra Party in East Java. Khofifah declined to comment when contacted via text message on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Bobby Nasution

In North Sumatra, President Joko Widodo’s son-in-law, Bobby Nasution, is preparing to run for governor. The current Mayor of Medan has been approaching various parties to secure a nomination. No longer a member of the PDI-P, Bobby needs to find a party willing to endorse his gubernatorial bid.

Muhaimin Iskandar, national chair of the National Awakening Party (PKB), said that he had heard of Bobby’s communication with party officials in North Sumatra. “But Bobby has not registered as a candidate for election as regional head through PKB,” Muhaimin told Tempo Magazine on Monday, May 6, 2024.

Bobby has also lobbied Golkar Party officials, but there is internal opposition within the party, which plans to endorse former Deputy Governor Musa Rajekshah for the gubernatorial race. Amid this opposition, President Widodo spent five days in Medan in April 2024. A relative of Bobby indicated that one of the President’s aims was to resolve his son-in-law’s political issues.

Close Bobby associate, Ade Jona Prasetyo, declined to comment on the President’s program in Medan. “I don’t get involved in family matters to that extent,” he said when contacted on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Recent reports have Bobby approaching the Gerindra Party through Ade Jona, who is also a politician from the party. The Presidential Palace is reportedly supporting Bobby’s candidacy via the Gerindra Party. Ade Jona refused to address his role in the issue of Bobby Nasution’s gubernatorial election candidacy. “I am close to both the Gerindra Party and Bobby, so people might assume I am a bridge,” Ade said.

Strategic intervention

President Joko Widodo’s involvement in the 2024 regional elections extends beyond endorsing specific candidates. The Presidential Palace is suspected of attempting to bring the election date forward by two months to September 2024, to ensure the election occurs while Widodo is still in office.

The Presidential Palace, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, proposed this change via a revision of the Law on Gubernatorial, District, and Mayoral Elections. Two members of Indonesia’s House of Representatives’ Commission on Government Affairs disclosed that the effort was initiated during a closed meeting held by the Ministry of Home Affairs with House Representatives at a hotel in Central Jakarta in mid-September 2023.

During the meeting, Ministry of Home Affairs officials introduced a clause in the draft revision of the electoral law to shift the election date from November to September 2024. The rationale was supposedly to avoid a leadership vacuum in 545 regions across Indonesia as of January 1, 2025, if elections were held in November.

The discussion continued in an open working meeting at the House of Representatives on September 20, 2023. The meeting, which extended late into the night, deliberated on the consequences of advancing the election date, with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) members opposing the proposal.

Potential for the President to wield undue influence

A senior Prosperous Justice Party official stated that their opposition was based on the potential for President Widodo’s to exercise undue influence if the elections were held earlier. At the time, two members of the President’s family, Bobby Nasution and Gibran Rakabuming Raka (who had not yet become a candidate for vice-presidential), were poised to run for regional head positions.

PKS politician Mardani Ali Sera explained that his faction rejected the election law revision because it was being rushed. PKS also believed there should be a longer interval between the 2024 general elections and the regional elections to ensure fair and honest contests. “Bringing the date forward should not undermine the quality of the General Election Commission’s work,” Mardani said on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Discussion on bringing forward the 2024 regional elections waned after the Constitutional Court issued its ruling affirming that the elections would be held on November 27, 2024. President Widodo denied allegations that the Presidential Palace had sought to intervene in the election process. “There is no such thing as speeding up or advancing the elections,” the President said in the West Java city of Karawang on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Contributors:

Francisca Christy Rosana
Erwan Hermawan, Raymundus Rikang, Egi Adyatama, Hussein Abri Dongoran, Daniel A. Fajri, Jamal A. Nashr from Semarang, Septia Ryantie from Solo, Hanaa Septiana from Surabaya, M.A. Murdato from Bogor, and Mei Leandha from Medan contributed to this article. The print edition of this article was titled “Tiket Murah Orang Presiden.”

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