Ahok-Anies Intimacy: Signals The 2029 Presidential Election Duet? PDIP: Too Far

Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan with Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The moment of intimacy between the two former Governors of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and Anies Baswedan, is considered to open up opportunities for both of them to duet in the upcoming 2029 presidential election.

Responding to this, the spokesman for the PDI-P (PDIP), Chico Hakim, emphasized that his party did not yet have a plan to pair Ahok and Anies in the presidential election contestation.

"When it comes to the 2029 presidential election, it's too far," Chico told reporters on Friday, January 3.

However, Chico acknowledged that the closeness between Ahok and Anies, who were previously political rivals in the 2017 Pilkada, received a positive response from the community.

"Because indeed the characters of these two figures who really live to serve the nation and state, as well as all Indonesian people, are not limited only to the citizens of Jakarta," said Chico.

In line with Chico, Anies Baswedan's spokesman, Sahrin Hamid, also views that the closeness between Ahok and Anies can ease political tensions after the presidential, legislative and regional elections.

"Of course the stiffness that exists becomes unraveled. The public has also become relatively more relaxed in facing the life of the nation and state," said Sahrin.

At the Bahtang Harapan JakASA event, which is a series of New Year celebrations at the DKI Jakarta City Hall a few days ago, Anies and Ahok were seen sitting side by side and talking familiarly. Every now and then, the former Governor of DKI, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, also participates in the conversation.

At that time, Ahok and Anies revealed that there would be a surprise that would be delivered in early 2025.

Political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, Jamiluddin Ritonga, considers that the "intimacy" between Ahok and Anies opens up the possibility of the two of them pairing up in the 2029 presidential election.

"It is possible that the two figures will be paired in the 2029 presidential election," Jamiluddin told reporters.