JAKARTA: Despite his popularity in the polls, West Java governor Ridwan Kamil said he will support the potential candidacy of the country’s coordinating minister for economic affairs, Airlangga Hartarto in Indonesia’s presidential election next year.
In January, Mr Kamil made headlines by joining Indonesia’s oldest running political party, Golkar, which is chaired by Mr Hartarto.
“The party has decided that Airlangga shall run in the presidential election. It is fixed. Therefore, I, as a new member, support, pray for and look for ways to help him in any way I can,” Mr Kamil said in an exclusive interview with CNA on Monday (Feb 20).
During the party’s national leaders’ summit in March last year, Golkar officially named Mr Hartarto as the party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
But Mr Hartarto has been trailing in the polls, being backed by less than 1.5 per cent of the voters surveyed.
Meanwhile, the same surveys have ranked Mr Kamil, 51, among the top four potential presidential candidates, garnering the support of between 7 and 9 per cent of respondents.
Mr Kamil told CNA that he is aware that his poll numbers “are not too bad” with some pollsters naming him as the most popular pick for vice president. The governor said he is also grateful that various organisations and communities across Indonesia have stated that they are ready to support his possible nomination.
“I cannot stop people from expressing their aspirations, their fondness and support. I thank them,” he said. However, “people’s aspirations and (the) party’s rationale must be in sync”, he also said.
“As of now, my calculation tells me to just follow the party’s decision. And I am fine with that, I have no problem with it and I have told this to Airlangga. I will honour the party’s decision,” he said.
