Exclusive, Afnan Hadikusumo from Senator to Servant of Yogyakarta City

After three terms as a member of the DPD RI, Afnan Hadikusumo is now entering a new chapter as a candidate for Mayor of Yogyakarta. (Photo by Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

After three terms, Afnan Hadikusumo ended his service as a senator from the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). ‘It turns out that according to my friends, my service in DPD RI is not yet complete. They then endorsed me as a candidate for Mayor of Yogyakarta. For me, this is a service to the community to bring this city to a better direction,’ he said.

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Advancing to the Yogyakarta City Election for this man whose full name is Muhammad Afnan Hadikusumo, is an ‘accident of history.’ The problem is, he had no aspirations to become the number one person in the city of Gudeg. ‘My friends proposed me to run in the Yogyakarta regional election. According to them, Yogyakarta needs a servant who has the insight of dedication. I am considered suitable for this position,’ he said.

For the 2024 election, Kang Afnan - as he is usually called - is paired with Singgih Raharjo (candidate number 3) supported by a coalition of Golkar Party, Gerindra Party, PPP, PKB, Labour Party, PSI, and Ummat Party. Meanwhile, candidate number 2 is Hasto Wardoyo and Wawan Harmawan, who are supported by PDIP. Meanwhile, candidate number 1, Heroe Poerwadi and Sri Widya Supena, is supported by PAN, NasDem, Democratic Party, PKN, Gelora, and Perindo.

According to Afnan Hadikusumo, he and Singgih Raharjo will focus on advancing education, tourism, and culture in Yogyakarta. ‘Since a long time ago, education, tourism, and culture are the three things that have become the breath of Yogyakarta City. So far, the community's economy has revolved around these three sectors,’ he said.

Afnan also hopes that Laskar Mataram and football fans will help create a conducive situation and peace in the city. ‘This is the duty of all of us, Laskar Mataram and football activists, to instil awareness that after the match whatever the result (win or lose), we still have to maintain a conducive situation,’ he told Edy Suherli, Bambang Eros, Irfan Meidianto, and Handi Januar when he stopped by the VOI office in Tanah Abang III, Central Jakarta, not long ago. Here is the full excerpt.

Afnan Hadikusumo is always eager to maintain and preserve Javanese culture, in the city of Yogyakarta. (Photo Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

You are a DPD RI member from Yogyakarta. What's your story now that you are participating in the Yogyakarta City Election? What makes you want to run in the 2024 elections?

I have no aspirations to be a candidate for Mayor of Yogyakarta, this is an ‘accident of history’. I have been a DPD member for three periods, and I think this is a long service. I have given my time and thoughts to the people through the DPD RI institution. We need regeneration, so I invite the young and fresh to continue my struggle in DPD RI. So, I have indeed not advanced again for the contestation of DPD RI for the period 2024-2029.

My friends in Yogyakarta saw me. They considered that my service was not yet complete, so they proposed me to run in the Yogyakarta City Election. Yogyakarta needs a servant who has the insight of devotion. I was considered suitable for this position.

What is the story of being paired with Singgih Raharjo for the Yogyakarta City Election contest?

To arrive at the decision to pair up with Mr Singgih Raharjo was quite a long process. Before that, we had formed a coalition of four parties: Golkar, PKS, Gerindra, and PPP. For the mayoral candidate, we have agreed to nominate me. Meanwhile, the candidate for deputy mayor is still open. Several names have emerged, including politicians, businessmen, and others. Since the deputy position is reserved for Gerindra, we left the mechanism to them. Then came the name Singgih Raharjo, who had been the Acting Mayor for the 2022-2023 period. Mayor for the 2022-2023 period. Prior to that, he had been the DIY Provincial Tourism Office and retired in 2024. Later, PKB, Labour Party, PSI, and Ummat Party also joined in to support us.

Yogyakarta is known as the city of culture and the city of education. If trusted by the people, what will you do?

Education and tourism are very important sectors. We will raise both of them so that this sector can be even better. For a long time, people have come to Yogyakarta for education. Many tourists also come to the city for holidays. The implication is that this condition revives the economy of the community. Boarding houses, inns, hotels, food stalls, souvenir shops, and other services such as laundry and photocopying have emerged. The challenges ahead for education are getting tougher. For example, universities in one country can open remote classes here under the Job Creation Law. Our target is how universities from Yogyakarta can go international so that they can compete internationally.

What is the tourism sector like?

Yogyakarta's tourism is second only to Bali. Our target is to increase the length of stay of tourists. Tourists can visit nature tourism, historical tourism, educational tourism, cultural tourism, and others. So far, the average length of stay of tourists is only one day and one night. We really have to present a variety of new tours, or existing ones must be updated so that tourists feel at home.

Currently, what are the crucial problems of the people of Yogyakarta that you will have to solve if elected?

There is an economic disparity between the rich and the lower middle class. The maternal mortality rate should also be a concern even though we are in the middle of the national rate. This must be a concern for all of us. In addition, the stunting rate must also be reduced. We must also overcome the problem of juvenile delinquency on the streets. The requirements for a tourist city must be safe, comfortable, and orderly. I have visited the Czech Republic, Italy, and Korea; the tourist cities there also take great care of safety, comfort, and order so that tourists feel at home.

According to Afnan Hadikusumo, coaching and mentoring for MSMEs must be done so that they can compete. (Photo Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

What about environmental issues and waste? Waste can be a problem, what is the solution to this?

We are still in a waste emergency, so the solution must also be in an emergency way. The normal way is by sorting waste. But because the volume is already very large, it must be handled by burning. After the emergency period has passed, we will carry out waste management in the normal way and involve the community to process waste into fertiliser.

How is the acculturation of migrants with the people in this city so that the atmosphere is safe, peaceful, and comfortable?

Back in the 1970s when the UGM campus was still in the Kauman area, parents whose children were going to study in Yogyakarta usually came and left their sons/daughters with the boarding house mother. The atmosphere was very familial; between the boarders and the boarding mothers were like family. In fact, there were boarders who were matched with the boarding mother's children. But now that is no longer the case. The boarding children and the boarding mothers have a different pattern of relationship; now it is more about business. Social interaction between boarders and villagers is also minimal. We want to unite the boarders with the community through the Jogja Rembug programme. If we are elected, there will be Rp 100 million per village to solve this problem.

What will you do to preserve the culture of Yogyakarta?

We will work together with the provincial and central government, through the privilege fund, to conduct cultural development. This covers a wide range of cultures, from the past, present and future. With this pattern, it is expected that Javanese culture in Yogyakarta will be preserved.

So far, there are several tourist sites, such as the Malioboro area, that are over-capacity. There are also hawkers who charge very expensive rates. This can discourage tourists, how can we overcome it?

We need to create new tourist spots so that Malioboro is not the only destination. In Korea, they optimise the riverbank as a public area and can be a tourist site. We will develop the riverside in Yogyakarta to increase the public area. For rivers that already have proper public facilities, only the Code River. We will optimise other rivers, such as Gajah Wong and Winongo.

What else will you do to make Yogyakarta better?

MSMEs, in my opinion, must be nurtured and encouraged so that they can be independent and competitive. We should learn from China, where MSMEs can make motorbikes and televisions, which are home-based businesses. Then, they market them in third-world countries. My dream is that Yogyakarta's MSMEs can go international, but the condition is to maintain quality. The government's job is to prepare product standards so that they can compete in the international market, as well as improve the skills of human resources.

What are the synergies between Yogyakarta and the neighbouring areas of Sleman and Bantul?

So far, there has been cooperation between the city of Yogyakarta and the surrounding areas. It's called Kartomantul, which is Yogyakarta, Sleman, and Bantul. Kulon Progo and Gunung Kidul are not directly adjacent. The cooperation covers the fields of irrigation and waste. Through the Kartomantul Secretariat, the two fields are managed together. In the future, cooperation can also be established with the Kulon Progo and Gunung Kidul local governments in handling waste issues with the principle of mutual benefit.

The majority of our voters are young people, how do you approach them?

We will facilitate young people so that they can channel their hobbies. Young people also need role models for their activities. So far, if there is a problem, they often ask the internet rather than their parents. The city government can facilitate young people and at the same time act as a father to young people.

A good government must function as a catalyst, when the community has an initiative, the government becomes the facilitator. The government should also facilitate people who like to play football. In Yogyakarta there is a professional football club; PSIM. Our goal is to find a home for PSIM and support PSIM to move up from the current League 2 to League 1 in the future. So far, the city government cannot directly help, so the pattern of cooperation is through BUMD owned by the city government.

What advice do you have for PSIM supporters?

To the Laskar Mataram; Brajamusti and The Maident, I hope that they maintain order before and after the match. Yogyakarta is a tourist city, so if there is a riot, it will affect the level of tourist visits.

Our supporters are still immature; if their club wins, they get excited, but if they lose, they riot. What can you do to prevent this from happening? How can you keep the post-game festivities orderly even if your club doesn't win?

It takes a collective consciousness to be able to be orderly after watching, even if the club they are proud of hasn't won. This kind of problem does not only exist in Yogyakarta, but also in other cities and even abroad. We must build awareness among friends to protect this city. There will be no tourists who want to come if the city is often chaotic, and there will be no parents who want to send their children to school in a city that is often chaotic. This must be the awareness of all parties.

Apart from football, what other sports are prioritised?                                                                      

Since I am also the head of the Tapak Suci Putra Muhammadiyah martial arts college, I will pay attention to self-defence for young people. This is important so that they have martial arts knowledge. We will support the development of martial arts that exist and develop in the community.

Afraid of Bullying, Afnan Hadikusumo Joins Tapak Suci Martial Arts

Even though he was forced because he was afraid of bullying, Afnan Hadikusumo felt the benefits of joining Tapak Suci martial arts. (Photo Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

Growing up in Kauman Village, Yogyakarta, little Afnan Hadikusumo lived in an environment of creative children. ‘If someone couldn't do martial arts, he would be bullied. Yes, I had no choice but to learn Tapak Suci. The problem is that the majority of children my age learnt martial arts at the Tapak Suci school,’ he says.

Even though he was forced to, Afnan felt the great benefits of this martial arts activity. Another invaluable experience for Afnan during his time at the Tapak Suci martial arts school was character building. ‘Before entering Tapak Suci, I had learnt karate. But I didn't finish it, so I joined Tapak Suci,’ said the man born in Yogyakarta, 6 February 1967.

Being elected as Chairman of the Tapak Suci Silat College was not because of his ambition to become the number one person there. However, the previous chairman, Afnan Jamhari, asked him to become chairman after he was no longer in office.

‘I did attend the 15th Tapak Suci Congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi, but only to promote the construction of the Tapak Suci hermitage. When I wanted to present, I was told by the committee that the time was no longer available. Finally, I did not make a presentation and returned to Yogyakarta. On the way home, it turned out that the election of the chairman took place. The majority of participants chose me. Even though I was not at the election venue. I said I couldn't because there were many activities in DPD RI,’ said the DPD RI member from DIY 2014-2024.

‘You can't, because the majority of participants have chosen. If you still refuse, I will be primpeni, meaning visited through dreams. Wow, seriously, I finally accepted the task,’ said Kang Afnan imitating Afnan Jamhari's statement.

As it turned out, shortly after saying that, Afnan Jamhari actually left for good. ‘Fortunately, I was willing and accepted the election even though I was half forced. If I had refused, I might have been visited in my dreams, hehehe,’ he continued with a chuckle.

Tapak Suci travelled the world

Afnan Hadikusumo is proud that now pencak silat, especially Tapak Suci, has travelled the world. (Photo Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

Afnan Hadikusumo is grateful that now Tapak Suci is not only developing throughout Indonesia, but has also travelled to various parts of the world. ‘Now Tapak Suci has spread to Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and so on. It is currently recorded that it has developed in 22 countries,’ he said.

In Asia, Tapak Suci has branches in Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore. While in Europe there are in Germany, the Netherlands and France. For Middle Eastern countries, Tapak Suci is present in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Yemen and Syria.

As Tapak Suci is a non-profit organisation, its development is highly dependent on the availability of funds. ‘Alhamdulillah, the development of Tapak Suci is carried out by our cadres who continue their studies abroad. So, while studying, they take the time to teach this martial art. Many local people are interested and learn,’ he continued.

There are also those who are funded by sponsors. ‘Especially for Syria, Tapak Suci trainers from Indonesia are funded by sponsors from that country, namely the Indonesian Embassy in Syria. Yes, we sent the best trainers there,’ he said.

According to Afnan, what makes many people from abroad like pencak silat is because they are tired of martial arts that have no artistic elements. ‘In pencak silat like Tapak Suci, they find that. In addition, they have high insecurity, so they need to fortify themselves with martial arts,’ he said.

The Logic of Kiai AR Fachruddin

As a teenager when he was still an organiser of the Muhammadiyah Kauman branch, Afnan Hadikusumo was very impressed by the lectures of the late AR Fachruddin, former Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah for the 1968-1990 period. (Photo Bambang Eros, DI: Raga Granada VOI)

Apart from learning Tapak Suci martial arts, as a teenager Afnan also remembers studying with teachers from PP Muhammadiyah. ‘With Pak Jindar, I learned hadith and organisational knowledge. While with Mr AR Fachruddin, I learned Qur'anic interpretation and contemporary Islam,’ he said.

At that time, Afnan was still the Secretary of the Muhammadiyah Kauman Branch. ‘We learnt with them in turn. I remember their explanations until now,’ he says.

‘The thing is, he explained with examples that are close to us. In addition, his explanations make sense,’ he added. ‘For example, polygamy is allowed in Islam if you can be fair. If you can't be fair, then just have one wife,’ Afnan imitated the explanation of the late AR Fachruddin, former Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah 1968-1990.

Then he added, ‘Why are you asking about more than one wife? You are not even married yet,’ he recalled with a laugh. ‘The one who asked was embarrassed. So the explanation was good and hit home,’ he said.

To young people, Afnan Hadikusumo advised them to learn many fields of knowledge. ‘That's where we will find out our potential. And we must be innovative because the demands of the times are like that. For example, selling bakpia, if there is no innovation, it will not be interesting. That is the importance of innovation,’ he said.

"Colleagues in Yogyakarta saw me. They considered my devotion was not yet complete, then suggested that I run in the Yogyakarta City Pilkada. Yogyakarta needs servants who have insight into devotion. I am considered suitable for this position,"

Afnan Hadikusumo