REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of Barisan Volunteer Anies President (Bara Api) Indonesia, Iwan Tarigan supports the 2024 presidential election campaign, Anies Baswedan duets with Basuki Tjahaja Purnama aka Ahok as a partner in Jakarta 2024 election.
“I as the volunteer coordinator of Anies and former spokesperson fully support Mr. Anies' political measures whether it is a duet with Ahok or PDIP,” Iwan said when contacted by Republika.co.id from Jakarta, Tuesday (14/5/2023).
Anies is known to have been the Governor of DKI Jakarta 2017—2022. Anies won the post after defeating Governor of DKI Jakarta 2014—2017, Ahok in the 2017 DKI Jakarta election. Anies' victory was not inseparable from the guilt of Ahok who committed the crime of blasphemy against Islam.
Iwan realizes that Anies and Ahok used to be rivals. He also understands that the base of voters or supporters of Anies and Ahok who are PDIP politicians is different. Even so, he was not worried that supporters would leave Anies when paired with Ahok, who had been imprisoned for religious menism.
“We are not worried about (Anies' loyal supporters leaving because of Ahok), because we have already discussed the matter,” he said.
Regarding the support of political parties so that Anies can come back, Iwan said that his party plans to communicate with the PDIP leadership. Because, PDIP has opened up to support Anies.
Iwan said that before communicating with PDIP, his party had first spoken with Nasdem Party elites and the CLA. “This remains to be continued and we are opening all the doors of party support to Mr. Anies,” he said.
Despite the support of volunteer groups, the Anies-Ahok duet is unlikely to materialize. His musabab, the Election Law prohibits former governors from running for office in the same area. “So there are terms and conditions in the law,” said Commissioner of KPU Jakarta, Dody Wijaya, Friday (10/5/2024).
The rule is enshrined in Article 7 paragraph (2) letter o of Law No. 10 of 2016 on the Election of Governors, Regents, and Mayors, which has been updated in Law No. 6 of 2020. Considering that the duet was blocked by the Election Law, a revision of the Election Law had to be made in order for the Anies-Ahok duet to sail.