Defending Heru Budi, PSI: Anies Only Sweet Talks But Misleading

Member of the PSI faction of the DKI DPRD, William Aditya Sarana (Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Fraction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD William Aditya Sarana defended the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono from criticism from Anies Baswedan.

According to William, Heru did not make a policy that limited the distribution of aid to the community as Anies said. Heru actually made the aid program more targeted because it had not been managed since the Anies era.

"Heru has the courage to tidy up the data, while Anies is trapped in populism. Anies is only able to say things that are pleasing to the ear but will make Jakarta worse," said William in a short message, Monday, July 22.

According to William, Anies is still using Jokowi's program as campaign material, from the 2024 presidential election until the current regional elections. During his time as Governor of DKI Jakarta for the 2017-2022 period, Anies is said to have often changed the names of existing programs, one of which was the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) which is now KJP Plus.

"Anies was selling Jokowi's program when he was governor but changed the name. So people forgot about Jokowi, Anies remembered. Even though everything had been around since Jokowi," said William.

Previously, Anies admitted that he intended to run again as a candidate for Governor of DKI because he wanted to make the conditions of Jakarta and its governance like when he was governor for the 2017-2022 period.

"We want that atmosphere to return, we want an atmosphere of a provincial government that is full of love for its citizens. A provincial government that sees the people as their own brothers and children, not a provincial government that is stingy with its citizens, not a provincial government that limits the benefits they receive by its residents," said Anies, Saturday, July 20.

"Therefore, we will ensure that we return all the benefits that were cut. Why, because we have to be able to provide benefits to the people here," he added.

Heru responded to this statement. Heru also asked Anies not to use him as a scapegoat in seeking public support to run again in the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada.

"Please compete in the regional elections, but don't make me a scapegoat," said Heru when met at Banteng Square, Central Jakarta, Saturday, July 20 evening.

Heru Budi claims that he has not once stopped the social assistance program that has been running since the era of Anies' leadership in Jakarta. In fact, Heru admitted that he had improved the data on aid recipients so that it was more targeted.

"There are no activities for the community, I stopped them. There are none. I run everything, but I tidy it up according to existing regulations," stressed Heru.