Nandito Putra, Petir Garda B, Jakarta – The Indonesia Parliament Watch (Formappi) notes that 79 elected legislative candidates for the House of Representatives 2024-2029 are affiliated with a political dynasty.
Formappi researcher, Lucius Karus, said the elected legislative candidates have familial relationships with those in power, starting from regional heads to officials in the central government.
"The relationships include father and child, husband and wife, nephews, and so on," said Lucius at the Formappi Office on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
According to Lucius, most of the elected DPR candidates also have relations with political party elites, in addition to government officials. On average, the elected candidates are connected through parental relationships. "Most of them are progenies of (government) officials," he said.
Based on Formappi's research, the highest number of candidates affiliated with a political dynasty is found in West Java with nine candidates. South Sulawesi and North Sumatra followed with seven candidates each.
Meanwhile, Central Java, East Java and Lampung each have six candidates affiliated with elites and government officials at the local level. "House Speaker Puan Maharani's kid is an elected legislative official in Central Java," said Lucius.
The child of Budget Agency Chair, Said Abdullah, also passed to parliament. There's also the wife of Victor Laiskoday, who was elected from Electoral District NTT II.
Lucius explained that elected legislative candidates affiliated with active government officials are not a new thing in Indonesia, driven by strong capital relations and affinity to party elites.
"Yes, this is the face of the 2024-2029 DPR period, there will be fathers and children to husbands and wives in parliament," he said.