Jakarta, March 14 (Antara) - The Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDIP) will benefit from its decision to name Jakarta Governor
Joko Widodo as its presidential candidate in the July 9, 2014,
presidential race.
"It is a choice of political realities," political observer Said
Salahudin noted, following a statement made by Joko Widodo that he had
been given the mandate by the PDIP Chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to
become the party's presidential hopeful in the next presidential
elections.
According
to Salahudin, the decision to nominate Joko Widodo, better known as
Jokowi, as the PDIP presidential candidate was made not merely because
of Jokowi's popularity and his chance to win public support, but also
due to the awareness of the party leaders and other factors.
"It is not merely a matter of Jokowi's chances, but also of other
factors," the political observer said, adding that the factors included
the fact that Jokowi is a public favorite, both in terms of popularity
and electability.
Political analyst Ari Junaedi of the University of Indonesia believed
that the PDIP will win 27.02 percent, or about 152 seats in the
parliament, with the nomination of Jokowi as its presidential candidate.
"I am convinced the PDIP will reap 27.02 percent of the votes and
secure 152 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) in the April 9
legislative elections next month. This is because Jokowi will be elected
not only by the PDIP supporters, but also by other parties' supporters.
So, the gains of the PDIP will increase significantly," Ari Junaedi
said, when contacted by Antara on Friday.
Jokowi said he was ready to be nominated as a presidential candidate by
the Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) on Friday.
"I have received the mandate from the PDIP Chairperson Megawati
Soekarnoputri to run for the president," the governor said, when
visiting Marunda, North Jakarta.
Local residents who listened to his statement honored him with a standing ovation and said "Thank God".
"By saying Bismillah (in the name of Allah), I am ready to carry out
this mandate," Jokowi told Marunda residents at around 2.50 p.m. local
time.
Having declared his readiness to run for the president, Jokowi then
kissed the red and white Indonesian flag behind him.
According to Salahudin, the decision of Megawati Soekarnopuri to agree
to field the Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo as a presidential candidate is
not merely a matter of compliance, but is also a sign of her
statesmanship.
"This (the naming of Jokowi as a presidential candidate) was a
political reality. It showed Megawati's statesmanship, who put aside her
own ambition to be re-nominated as the presidential candidate of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP)," the political observer
Said Salahuddin said here on Friday.
According to Salahuddin, Megawati and other PDIP leaders were aware it
was the best chance for their party, which was in the opposition for the
past ten years. The 2014 presidential race is a chance for the PDIP to
regain power through the elections.
"The
decision of PDIP to nominate Jokowi as its presidential hopeful is a
momentum. If it is successful in the 2014 election, it will constitute
the fruit of its being an opposition party for the ruling party,"
Salahudin said.
Political analyst Ari Junaedi believed that with Jokowi's nomination as
a presidential candidate, the presidential election this year will last
for only one round.
"PDIP will emerge as the winner because it nominated Jokowi. He will
win the election in only one round," he said convinced. With the
elections held for only one round, the costs of the elections will be
lower.
"The
campaigns will cost lower because people will vote for Jokowi. You can
see people on the street now yelling for the victory of Jokowi," Ari
Junaedi added.
Many people were previously expected to abstain from casting their
votes (golput) in the next election, but with the nomination of Jokowi
they will drop their plans to become golputs.
"People
who had planned to become golputs will drop them and opt to cast their
votes for Jokowi. Also, the competition through campaigns was actually
over now, because PDIP was sure to emerge as the winner," he said.
Previously,
the PDIP had set a target of winning 27.02 percent of the votes, or 152
seats in parliament in the next legislative elections.
Different
surveys had put the Jakarta governor, or Jokowi, as the most favorite
candidate to be the President. Jokowi had always ranked first in the
list of potential candidates in different surveys conducted so far.
Following Jokowi's declaration, the Jakarta composite index closed higher on Friday.
The index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) shot up, after being
in the red in the opening trading session on Friday morning and when
almost all the regional markets closed lower after the day's trading
session.
The Hang Seng index fell 1 percent to 21,539.49 points, while the
Nikkei index declined 3.30 percent to 14,327.66 points and the Straits
Times was down 0.25 percent to 3,073.72 points.
The BEI index rose 152.48 points, or 3.84 percent, to close at a new
peak of 4,878.64, with the index of the 45 most liquid stocks surging
4.37 percent to end the day at 830.67 points.
Panin Sekuritas' analyst Purwoko Sartono said the BEI index rose
despite the Ukraine crisis and the Chinese economic data falling short
of expectations that triggered the fall of the regional indexes.
"The
market reacted positively to the naming of Jokowi, who has a good track
record as a clean man, pro people and firm," Purwoko said.
Regarding
the naming of Jokowi as the PDIP presidential candidate, the ruling
Democratic Party said it was ready to compete with him.
"We have prepared a strategy. Whoever the candidates are, we have the
strategy," the party's spokesperson, Andi Nurpati, said on Friday.
Andi
said the Democratic Party had studied all the possible presidential
candidates of other political parties for the presidential election
2014.
According to her, all the names were still being discussed, until the legislative elections have the results.
"Many people are participating in our presidential candidate
convention. They are ready to face Joko Widodo, Prabowo Subianto or
Aburizal Bakrie," she said.
Concerning Jokowi, she said the politician of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDIP) had not shown any achievement so far as the
Jakarta Governor.
In the meantime, the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party said it
had no problem with the naming of the Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo as a
presidential candidate.
"The naming of Joko Widodo (better known as Jokowi) as a presidential
candidate for the 2014 presidential race is an affair of another party.
We will remain focused on our presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto,"
Gerindra's General Chairman Suhardi said.
He added that his party was continuing its efforts to increase the
electability of its presidential candidate Prabowo, who is also
Gerindra's chief patron.
A
total of 15 political parties in Indonesia have been verified by the
General Elections Commission (KPU), so they have the right to
participate in the elections.
Three of them are local parties for the Aceh electorate, while 12
others are the national parties that will participate in the
parliamentary elections in April.
They
consist of the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), the National
Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the
Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP), the Golkar Party (Golkar),
and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra).
Then
the others are the Democratic Party (Demokrat), the National Mandate
Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the People's Conscience
Party (Hanura), the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian
Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).***1***
(T.A014/INE/H-YH)
EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 14-03-2014 23:03 |
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