Anindya Bakrie Vs. Arsjad Rasjid's Strong Fight In The 2021 Kadin Boss Candidacy

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JAKARTA - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) will hold an election for the general chairman for the period 2021-2026. Two candidates emerged, namely Anindya Bakrie and Arsjad Rasjid. Both of them began to gather support from a number of figures.

Anindya Bakrie is the President Director of PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk. He has been in the management of the Chamber of Commerce for a dozen years. Anin is also the son of Aburizal Bakrie who once led Kadin.

Meanwhile, Arsjad Rasjid is the President Director of PT Indika Energy Tbk. Meanwhile, Indika Energy is a national integrated energy company owned by Agus Lasmono Sudwikatmono.

Within the Indika Energy Group, Arsjad previously served as a member of the Board of Commissioners and Directors in various companies such as PT Kideco Jaya Agung which is engaged in coal, PT Tripatra Engineers & Contractors- an oil and gas EPC (engineering procurement and construction) company, PT Petrosea Tbk.- mining contractor, and PT Mitrabahtera Segara Sejati Tbk. Marine logistics company.

Unlike Anindya, who has been involved in the management of Kadin for a long time, Arsjad has only been involved in the management of the entrepreneurial organization for the last two years.

Deputy Chairman of Kadin, Suryani Motik, said that both Anindya and Arsjad have strong positions in the election market for the Chairman of Kadin. Anindya benefited from her longer organizational position at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In fact, continued Suryani, currently Anindya is also still holding a high-ranking position at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. So it is more profitable because it has been at Kadin for a long time, so it is better known.

"Pak Arsjad and Pak Anindya are both strong. But Pak Anin is clearly in a more favorable position because the Deputy Chairman for Organization and for a long time at Kadin is better known," said Suryani.

Meanwhile, Arsjad Rasjid, although he has only been involved in the management of Kadin for the last two years, his figure who has a background as the boss of Indika Energy is no less strong. This is because his name is very familiar to the business world.

Support-seeking strategy

Anindya Bakrie and her rival Arsjad Rasjid have different strategies to gain support. Anindya prefers to go on a safari to the regions to meet the provincial Kadin and visit the figures. Meanwhile, Arsjad invited the provincial Chamber of Commerce to come to its declaration.

Anindya Bakrie began to tour the regions amid reports that the general chairman of Kadin Rosan Roeslani would not run again in the election for the general chairman of Kadin 2021-2026.

During each visit, Anindya also documents it on her social media. For example, on March 4, 2021, Anindya left for Semarang to meet with the officials of the Central Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry with Governor Ganjar Pranowo.

"Friends of the Central Java Chamber of Commerce support and encourage me to become Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry," said Anindya via her personal Instagram account, @anindyabakrie.

Two days later, Anindya flew to Manado, North Sulawesi. Then, on March 9, 2021, Anindya returned to visit the West Java Kadin office. He also met Governor Ridwan Kamil.

From Bandung, Anindya flew to Bali to gather support from Governor I Wayan Koster. Anindya has also left for North Sumatra. In Medan, he met the Governor of North Sumatra Edy Rahmayadi, the Mayor of Medan Bobby Nasution, and local Kadin officials.

Apart from traveling to various regions, Anindya also met a number of figures. Finally, he visited the office of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. However, Luhut said that the Government has never interfered in the contestation of the Chairman of Kadin for the period 2021-2026.

Anindya claims to have won 75 percent of the votes from 34 provinces in Indonesia. "Of course this support is due to old friends, we will embrace it," he said.

Support for Anindya Bakrie also came from the Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs Association (GP), the Indonesian Truck Entrepreneurs Association (Aptrindo), the Indonesian Medium Business Association (AUMI), the Indonesian Supporting Chemical Producers Association (APKAPI), and the Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association (Iwapi).

Secretary General of the DPP Aptrindo Wisnu Letalolo assessed that Anindya's performance during her 15 years at Kadin has proven to be able to facilitate various needs of entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, he said Anindya had been very good at sheltering various entrepreneurs in the regions by facilitating their interests so that they received government support to continue to develop.

"The association sees Anin's competence and organizational expertise over three periods. We really, really hope for a figure like Pak Anin to lead Kadin in the future," said Wisnu in his statement, quoted on Monday, March 22.

Unlike Anindya, Arsjad chose to gather national figures. He declared his candidacy as Chairman of Kadin on Friday, March 26, 2021. A number of national figures attended and expressed support at the event which was held in Plataran City Forest, Jakarta.

One of them, the Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi. Through a video conference, Lutfi shared that he had known Arsjad since he was both educated in Los Angeles, United States. In fact, said Lutfi, he and Arsjad also lived in the same place while studying.

"I support Pak Arsjad Rasjid to become Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2021-2026. I am sure we will unite to advance Indonesia, restore the Indonesian economy," he said.

Not only that, said Lutfi, Arsjad and himself became entrepreneurs at almost the same time.

"I see Arsyad as an example for all of us. I saw Indika from the beginning trying to become a company that exploited everywhere, which became a reference for the business world in Indonesia," he said.

Lutfi emphasized his support to Arsjad as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry without any conditions. He only hopes that in the future Kadin will remain a strategic partner of the government.

Likewise, the Head of BKPM also supports Arsjad. He had joked about actually supporting Erwin Aksa as the Head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. However, this support changed to Arsjad because Erwin did not run.

"My position is clearly in support of Bang Asrjad," said Bahlil.

Bahlil said that in the future Kadin would become a strategic partner for the government in restoring the economy. "I see Bang Arsjad being able to communicate with the cabinet, how to deepen the Job Creation Law, its implementation, I really see it," he said.

Not only that, General Chairman of Pemuda Pancasila Japto Soelistyo Soerjosoemarno said his group supports Arsjad because the boss of Indika Energy is the Deputy Chairman of PP.

Arsjad Rasjid claims to have received support from 20 provinces. Last week, representatives from each region officially declared their support.

"Friends attended the declaration. They were from Bengkulu, Jambi, West Sumatra, Jakarta, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, North Kalimantan, Central Java, Riau, NTT, Maluku, East Java, North Maluku, Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Riau Islands, "said Arsjad.