Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Incumbent Jakarta deputy governor Fauzi Bowo has received the backing of a giant political coalition for the city's upcoming gubernatorial election.
The 17-party coalition will contest the August gubernatorial race with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which has named former National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. (ret) Adang Daradjatun as its candidate.
"The coalition was made after intensive talks between the leaders of the parties," Ferial Sofyan, chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Democrat Party (PD) told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The joint declaration of support for Fauzi was held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, South Jakarta on Thursday, just hours after the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-P) and the Democrat Party separately announced their support for Fauzi.
The ceremony was attended by, among others, Golkar's vice chairman Agung Laksono, PD's chairman Hadi Utomo, vice chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Chozin Chumaidi, chairman of Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) Ruyandi Hutasoit and chairman of Jakarta chapter of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Andi Anzrar.
PDI-P and PKB were a no-show at the declaration due to "technical reasons." The National Awakening Party (PKB) and the PAN had yet to confirm their position on the coalition. Fauzi also did not attend the meeting.
Ferial said that all the parties in the alliance shared a common perspective on Fauzi's potential. "Fauzi is a figure who is very familiar with conditions in Jakarta. So he has a very good understanding of how to resolve Jakarta's problems."
The PD and PDI-P ranked second and third respectively in the 2004 regional election after the PKS. The three are the only parties eligible to run candidates in elections without being part of a coalition.
"With the coalition, we are optimistic about winning the election," he said.
The coalition came as a surprise for the PKS, however. "We are shaken to hear about the coalition but we're not worrying too much because it's the natural process of politics," member of the PKS executive Selamat Nurdin told Tempointeraktif.com.
The PDI-P executive member Pantas Nainggolan said the PDI-P's decision to name Fauzi was taken through democratic processes. "The final decision however was made during a meeting chaired by Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday," he said, referring to the former president who is also chairwoman of the party.
The PDI-P is the first party to give independent figures the chance to register as the gubernatorial candidate. But the decision to name Fauzi dashed the hopes of others to receive the party's support.
Those potential candidates were former minister of transportation Agum Gumelar, legislator Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, economist Faisal Basri and retired Army general Bibit Waluyo.
Jakarta will hold the first-ever direct gubernatorial election in August to replace incumbent Governor Sutiyoso, a retired Army general who was reappointed by president Megawati Soekarnoputri in 2003.
The Jakarta Election Commission has yet to make any formal preparations relating to the election. But its acting chairman Juri Adrianto said the registration for gubernatorial candidates would be opened in May.