Semarang Walkot Wants To 'Retire' Focus On Family Not Forward In The 2024 Semarang Pilkada

Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu. (ANTARA/Zuhdiar Laiis)

SemarANG - Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu hinted not to run again as an incumbent candidate at the regional head election contestation (pilkada) in Semarang City in 2024. "From the bottom of my heart, first I want to complete my duties (as mayor) until it is finished in 2025," said Ita, Hevearita's nickname, in Semarang, Antara, Friday, February 23. He conveyed this on the sidelines of reviewing the unique voting competition (tps) conducted by the Semarang City Government with the Semarang City Hall Journalists Forum. As the number one person in Semarang City, he admits, many programs have been planned and will be completed until the end of his term as mayor during this period. After that, Ita expressed her desire to retire or not run again in the 2024 Semarang Mayor and Deputy Mayor Election (Pilwakot) which is scheduled to take place next November. "I want it to be finished, then focus on the family. Because I have graduated from the S-1 until now, I continue to work. My son has never felt the presence of a mother at home," he said. Incidentally, Muhammad Faras Razin Pradana (Juon), his only son who is currently studying in the medical profession, asked him not to run again as a candidate for Mayor of Semarang for the next period. "I have served enough, as a professional, then now I am a bureaucrat. I have donated enough energy and thoughts to the community and the state," he said. "Let me focus on my family. My son, Juon, until the age of 28 have never felt a mother who is 'full' at home gives full love to children," he said, crying. However, Ita as a PDI-P cadre admitted that she had to coordinate and wait for instructions from the party regarding her decision, but she really hoped that her wish would come true. "Let me finish (finite my term of office) in 2024, but I leave everything to the party. But yes, that was from the bottom of my heart I want to retire," he said. Ita entered the election contest for the first time as a candidate for deputy mayor of Semarang in pairs with Hendrar Prihadi, who is familiarly called Hendi (the mayor's candidate) and won the 2015 Semarang Pilwakot.

In the 2020 Semarang Pilwakot, Ita again ran with Hendi and won. In the middle of the journey in 2022, Hendi was appointed Head of the Indonesian Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP). Finally, Ita was appointed as Acting Mayor (Plt) of Semarang replacing Hendi, before being appointed as definitive mayor a year later, namely on January 30, 2023.