Wiranto And His Immortality In The World Of Indonesian Politics

Wiranto when inaugurated as the Presidential Advisory Council by President Joko Widodo (Photo: Twitter @setkabgoid)

JAKARTA - The figure of Wiranto has been around the world of government and politics for a long time. After the incident of being stabbed while serving as the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs some time ago, many people thought this was the end of his career.

However, who would have thought that Wiranto would return to the public with his new position. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) yesterday appointed him as chairman of the presidential advisory council (Wantimpres) and eight other members.

Talking about Wiranto, it turns out that he has many stories to tell. From the era of the New Order (Orba) to the reformation era, Wiranto has always had a strategic position in government. So what is the role of Wiranto in politics and why does he still exist today?

University of Al-Azhar Political Observer Ujang Komarudin said Wiranto was still around until the Jokowi administration because he had a much needed role. Moreover, he has quite a lot of experience, not only in the military world.

"If he exists in Jokowi's era, it is because he is a figure Jokowi still needs. It is needed because he is senior and has a lot of experience," he told VOI, in Jakarta, Saturday, December 14.

Ujang added that when he was the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs for the 2014-2019 period, Wiranto fought hard to support the first term President Joko Widodo's government to run smoothly.

"Set up a body for Jokowi. How can he be in front of announcing the dissolution of HTI, and others. His most important role yesterday was as the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs for Jokowi, being able to protect Jokowi from attacks by Jokowi's political opponents. Naturally, if Jokowi still gives him positions," he said, adding , Wiranto's way of surviving to exist until now is to work according to the government's wishes plus high loyalty.

"Wiranto doesn't have a party. So in order to keep his eye on Jokowi and still have good bargaining in Jokowi's eyes, work as Jokowi wants," he said.

Wiranto's background as a former TNI commander, according to Ujang, cannot be ignored as a political consideration. After all, he said, Wiranto had influence and power there.

"Wiranto can have a position in every government because he is a senior military figure. In Indonesia, people who have positions will become influential people. That's why positions are contested," he said.

Wiranto's Political Career Journey

Even though he is known as a politician, the military world is still very attached to the figure of Wiranto. Before becoming a politician as he is now, he pursued his career in the TNI. Wiranto had held a number of strategic positions. He was President Soeharto's adjutant from 1989-1993.

His career took off after being close to Suharto. He had held the position of Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) in 1997-1998. After that, Wiranto became Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces until 1999. After retiring from the military, his name became increasingly popular in the Indonesian political scene.

In retrospect, he has held a number of strategic positions such as the Minister of Defense and Security 1998-1999 in the era of President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie and the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs 1999-2000 in the cabinet of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Wiranto also served as Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs, Security Law (2016-2019) in the Jokowi-era Indonesia Cabinet, when there was a reshuffle replacing Luhut Binsar Panjaitan who was appointed as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs.

The man who was born 72 years ago was only absent as a state official in the era of President Megawati Soekarnoputri and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

Wiranto also demonstrated his existence in the political arena by declaring the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) on December 21, 2006. There, he served as party chairman, but has now been replaced by Oesman Sapta Odang (Oso).

The goal of establishing the Hanura Party was none other than his political vehicle to advance in the 2009 presidential election. On May 1, 2009, he and Jusuf Kalla (JK) from the Golkar Party declared themselves as a presidential-cawapres pair.

This pair was the first to register at the KPU. JK-Wiranto received serial number three and was abbreviated as JK-WIN. In the contest, JK-Wiranto faced the pair Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) -Boediono and Megawati Soekarnoputri-Prabowo Subianto. JK-WIN lost. The SBY-Boediono pair who won and were elected as president for the 2009-2014 period.

In 2014, Wiranto ran as a presidential candidate paired with a media conglomerate, Hary Tanoesoedibjo (HT). However, the WIN-HT pair died by themselves because Hanura could not carry the presidential candidate himself, due to the lack of votes obtained by the Hanura Party in the 2014 legislative elections. In fact, this pair was the first to register at the KPU.