Waiting For Megawati's Decision On The Solo Pilkada, Between Gibran Or Purnomo

Megawati Soekarnoputri attending the inauguration of the president and vice president (Irfan Meidianto / voi.id)

JAKARTA - Gibran Rakabuming Raka officially registered himself to run for the 2020 Solo Pilkada contest through the PDI-P. Before he registered, the PDIP DPC already had a candidate, namely Achmad Purnomo-Teguh Prakosa. Purnomo currently serves as Deputy Mayor in Solo, while Teguh is currently Secretary of the Solo City PDIP DPC.

Central Java DPD Chairman Bambang Wuryanto said that it was no problem that Gibran would also register in this contest. Bambang could not confirm which of the two candidates the party would nominate in the Solo Pilkada. Bambang said that the decision was in the hands of PDIP Chairman Megawati Sukarnoputri.

"So there is no problem. That the authority to make recommendations for candidate pairs rests in the hands of the party council led by the general chairman," said Bambang at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Thursday, December 12.

Bambang said that the Solo Pilkada affair forced Megawati Soekarnoputri to step in because there was something special there. The particular thing referred to is the one that drew national attention, namely the presence of Gibran.

"Do you think that the long term with Gibran will have a national impact or not? So you ask, it means it has a national impact. We are the son of the president, what do you want to say?" he said.

Even so, Bambang confirmed that there was no special treatment for Gibran. According to him, all candidates will be treated equally.

"Please ask permission, of course Mas Gibran will not be given a red carpet. That regarding the decision of the general chairman, please, today register, come, there will also be another list. This is Thursday Legi, a good day for Solo people, there must be many who register," he explained.

Bambang added that, although he is relatively young in the political arena, Gibran has many achievements that deserve to be reckoned with. Gibran, he continued, also had his own way of introducing himself to the public without composing his father's name.

"Mas Gibran's achievements are aware of politics and know the world of the people because of him (himself). Mas Gibran is not someone who then uses his father as mayor, his father as governor to make it easier for himself. No," he said.

"He's better off selling martabak, he knows the field, he knows the people through it. So if you look at people's strengths, you have to think fairly," he continued.

Bambang denied that Gibran's advance in the 2020 Solo Pilkada seemed hasty, assuming he had no political experience.

"Nope. Look at Ukraine. Young people, comedians, can also be president. So what is being discussed is an old theory. A theory that pays attention to character, considers competence. Considering capacity and that can be seen in the track record. That was then. Today the younger generation of the millennial generation, "he explained.

Chairman of the Central Java DPD Bambang Wuryanto (Mery Handayani / VOI)