Thomas Rizal, Bandung – Comedian Alfiansyah Bustami, popularly known as Komeng, was confirmed Monday as one of four elected senators from West Java, securing a remarkable 5.4 million votes in the Feb. 14 election.

His vote tally is nearly double that of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo's count in Indonesia's most populous province.

In addition to his regular TV appearances, Komeng's ballot papers featured a comical expression, with a leaning head, wide-open eyes, raised eyebrows, and an open mouth, which appealed to West Java voters.

This humorous photo set him apart from the formal and ceremonial poses adopted by the 53 other candidates in the province.

Following behind in a distant second place is Aanya Rina Casmayanti with 1.98 million votes, while the other two elected senators, Jihan Fahira and Agita Nurfianti, garnered 1.82 million and 1.17 million votes, respectively.

In a previous interview, the 53-year-old Komeng mentioned consulting with the provincial KPU office regarding his unique photo pose, for which he obtained permission. He also underwent a name change to "Alfiansyah Komeng" on the ballot paper, a move requiring court approval.

He opted to retain his birth name "Alfiansyah" for strategic reasons, ensuring his name appeared at the top of the ballot paper in alphabetical order.

Over 29 million voters participated in the election to choose the president and legislative members in West Java, surpassing the voter turnout in any other province.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/comedian-komeng-elected-as-west-java-senator-with-54-million-vote