The Story Of Box Clothes: Jokowi And Ahok's Political Gimics In The 2012 DKI Jakarta Gubernatorial Election

Jokowi-Ahok wears iconic plaid clothes. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The work of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is often interesting to follow. The former mayor of Solo has transformed into a media warning. His actions are often reported by the mass media. His blusukan action, especially. This condition made Jokowi's popularity increase.

Jokowi was then nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) to participate in the 2012 DKI Jakarta Pilgub political contestation. Jokowi was paired with Gerindra Party cadre Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok). Both have popular gimmicks: plaid clothes.

No election contestation is greater than the DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. The charm of leading Jakarta is able to invite anyone to become a regional head. This condition is because someone's leadership in Jakarta can determine the fate of a politician in the future: could become a popular political figure.

Its popularity can increase sharply. Take for example the DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election in 2012. Various political parties have started to fully formulate candidates for cagub-cawagub.

The party's fat coalition also occurred (Democrats, PAN and other parties) supporting Fauzi Bowo- Nachrowi Ramli (Foke-Nara). However, PDIP and the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) refused to join. They chose to discuss their own candidates. The two big parties joined.

PDIP then pushed Jokowi's cadres as cagub. Gerindra did not miss sending its cadre Ahok to accompany Jokowi as Cawagub. Jokowi-Ahok duet was also presented. Both are clearly not just politicians.

Jokowi is a former mayor of Solo for two terms. Ahok didn't want to lose either. He is a former regent of East Belitung. Each of them has its own achievements. An achievement made the two parties believe that the Jokowi-Ahok pair was able to bring in victory.

Jokowi-Ahok is considered superior in matters of integrity and anti-corruption figures. This condition made support emerge from here and there. The party machine began to package the image of the two pairs. Political promises are also prepared to win the hearts of Jakarta residents.

Jokowi and Basuki may raise hope for the residents of Jakarta: they will lead the capital more humanely. When leading the city of Solo, Jokowi is known to be very humane. He, for example, asked the Civil Service Police Unit to 'hold' their bats and pistols.

Jokowi was also able to move the market traders' area without turmoil. When he became the Regent of East Belitung, Bangka-Belitung Province, Basuki was also quite grounded," wrote the Tempo magazine page entitled New Governor of Jakarta Lama (2012).

Jokowi-Ahok managed to register with the General Election Commission (KPU) as a cagub and cawagub who will compete in the 2012 DKI Jakarta Pilgub. However, Jokowi-Ahok's appearance attracted attention. Both of them wore plaid shirts.

The plaid shirt then became an iconic dress. Jokowi-Ahok considers many colors that dominate plaid clothes as various signs of Jakarta. Jakarta in the picture is seen as a multi-ethnic city, but is able to coexist peacefully.

The plaids are also a symbol of the simplicity spirit of the candidate leadership. This means that Jokowi-Ahok will not become a politician who prioritizes life, while the people are sacrificed. Both are able to devote themselves as much as possible to the welfare of the citizens of Jakarta.

The political game of Jokowi-Ahok in a plaid shirt is also a pilgrimage. Many people individually began to express support for Jokowi and Ahok. They are also looking for the plaid clothes used by the two candidate leaders everywhere.

The Jokowi-Ahok volunteer team did not remain silent. They took the opportunity by printing lots of plaid clothes and selling them for financing the Jokowi-Ahok campaign. This step was taken because of the Jokowi-Ahok campaign budget which was not as much as Foke-Nara.

In the end, the political gimmick brings significant results. Each Jokowi-Ahok campaign supporter dominated in plaid clothes. In fact, many plaid clothes users are directly proportional to Jokowi's big voice in political contestation.

Jokowi-Ahok was able to win in the 2012 DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. Jokowi-Ahok then became the new Governor and Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta. The victory made the plaid clothes the most successful political gimmick in the contemporary era. Political gameics are able to make MSMEs progress.

In fact, Jokowi himself struggled to mix up other games when he advanced to the political contestation at the high level of the 2014 Presidential Election. The image of the plaids is still attached to Jokowi. As a result, Jokowi, who was then paired with Jusuf Kalla (JK), still wore plaid clothes as a gimmick in the 2014 presidential election until he won.

The price of Rp. 65 thousand to 90,000 per cut is selling well. Per day the owner of the Ramly Style Shop can sell a dozen Jokowi shirts. The MSME actors even continue to produce plaid shirts every day because of the many requests. Meanwhile, in Thamrin City, Jokowi's clothes are displayed with the words: Jokowi.

Feski Shopkeeper in Thamrin City, Jack, said that the traders who ordered Jokowi's shirt to producers. The clothes are priced at Rp. 100,000 per cut. What makes people interested in Jokowi's shirt is the motif and color. Many enthusiasts come ahead of the election. Not infrequently people buy large amounts of shirts as a form of support for Jokowi," said Bimo Nugroho and Ajianto Dwi Nugroho in Jokowi's book: Politics Without Imaging (2012).