Jokowi's Meeting with Ahmad Luthfi, Like Repeating the 'Ritual' of Eating Meatballs with Prabowo

JAKARTA – Former President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo or Jokowi met with one of the candidate pairs for Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Java Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin. The meeting seemed to repeat the moment, the 'ritual' of Jokowi's meeting with Prabowo ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.

At a coffee shop in Solo, Central Java, Sunday, October 28, 2024, Jokowi with his typical appearance of a white shirt, black pants and casual shoes, met with Ahmad Luthfi, the candidate for Governor of Central Java and former Central Java Police Chief.

On that occasion, Taj Yasin was also seen, who accompanied Ahmad Luthfi as a Candidate for Deputy Governor of Central Java.

Former President of the Republic of Indonesia Jokowi with Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin at a Solo coffee shop/ Photo: IST

The photo of their meeting circulating on social media is like a sign. Is it true that Jokowi is showing his support for Ahmad Luthfi? No different from when Jokowi and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto ate meatballs at a shop in Magelang Regency, on Monday, January 29, 2024.

The presence of Jokowi with the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates for Central Java seemed to further clarify the direction of his support in the Central Java political contestation.

Diponegoro University political observer Wahid Abdulrahman assessed that Jokowi wants to ensure the sustainability of the development agenda in Central Java through a leader figure who is able to align regional policies with the central government.

"The provincial government is an extension of the central government. "A leader figure who can guarantee ease and speed in implementing the development agenda is urgently needed, and that figure is in the Luthfi-Yasin pair," said Wahid, Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

He believes that Jokowi is in line with the support given by the parties supporting the Red and White Cabinet under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto.

Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin are considered a pair that is in line with Jokowi's national development vision in Central Java.

According to Wahid, voters who previously supported Jokowi and Prabowo in the 2024 Presidential Election have great potential to choose Luthfi-Yasin in this gubernatorial election.

In addition to Jokowi, President Prabowo Subianto has long expressed his support for Luthfi-Yasin.

"The support of these two national figures further strengthens the position of the pair in the Central Java gubernatorial election contest, while also showing that the continuity of development in Central Java is a major concern for both of them," he explained.