Saefullah Is Nothing More Than A Drama Sweetener In Search Of Deputy Governor Anies

JAKARTA - The DKI Gerindra Party canceled the opportunity for DKI Regional Secretary Saefullah to be one of the candidates brought up in the process of being a candidate for Deputy Governor of DKI to replace Sandiaga Uno. This cancellation extended the drama of the Gerindra-PKS cawagub election process which had been running for more than a year.

The chairman of DPD Gerindra DKI Muhammad Taufik said, Saefullah needs to be considered as a person who remains in the ranks of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government because he understands the problems of Jakarta. Given, after the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan has finished serving in 2022.

After Anies stepped down, the election for the governor of DKI will be held in 2024 following the General Election simultaneously. That means, for 2 years DKI has not had a Governor. The DKI leadership position is held by the Acting Governor who is usually appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"Now, the election will be in 2024, meaning that in 2022, the governor's job will be completed, then the Acting. Imagine that if his secretary joins the vice governor, he should also stop (because he has relinquished his ASN status," said Taufik some time ago.

Saefullah responded in a way that he did not want to adopt a political attitude. Even so, he understood Gerindra's consideration, who had suggested him and then withdrew.

"I'm still excited to (answer) yes, to (answer) no. Why bother thinking about it? It's not really my right. I can't force myself. It's not my right," said Saefullah.

In this case, Gerindra left three of its cadres to be nominated as candidates for vice governor. They are the Advisory Board of the Gerindra Arnes Lukman DPP, Gerindra Deputy Chairman Ferry Juliantono, and Gerindra Secretary General Ahmad Riza Patria.

This candidate will compete with the previous cawagub nominated by the PKS faction, all of whom are also party cadres, namely the General Secretary of the Jakarta PKS DPW Agung Yulianto and former Bekasi Deputy Mayor Ahmad Syaikhu who have not been elected.

Al-Azhar University political observer, Ujang Komarudin, thinks that Gerindra is not serious about offering Saefullah. Although previously Gerindra said that Saefullah was a qualified person to take care of Jakarta, according to Ujang, the submission of Saefullah's name could be just a sweetener.

"However, each party will propose its own cadres who have fought in the legislative and presidential elections," Ujang said when contacted by VOI, December 22.

Except, there is another compromise. For example, PKS and Gerindra both insist on wanting their cadres to be number two in DKI, so that there is no common ground. "Finally they looked for another way by proposing a neutral name. That's where the Regional Secretary can be an offer," he explained.