Ganesha's Blunder, Politician's Response To PSI's Clarification

Acting Chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), Giring Ganesha (Photo: Instagram @giring)

JAKARTA - The Acting Chairperson of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), Giring Ganesha, is in the spotlight because he said he was not willing if the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, became president in 2024. Giring even called the governor a liar.

"Pretending to care is Governor Anies' lie in the midst of a pandemic and people's suffering. Don't let Indonesia fall into the hands of liars, don't let Indonesia fall into the hands of Anies Baswedan," said Giring, Monday, September 20.

Giring's statement then received various responses from various circles of the public, from netizens to political figures. This is because Giring has declared himself a candidate for President of the Republic of Indonesia in the 2024 presidential election. In fact, the former vocalist of the Nidji band is still active in politics.

So, how do politicians respond to the Giring action?

"It's better if you want to protest, there must also be a solution, don't just attack," said the chairman of the Jakarta PAN DPW, Eko Hendro Purnomo alias Eko Patrio at the DPR Building, Wednesday, September 22.

This member of Commission VI of the DPR RI also reminded Giring to offer solutions to the problems he criticized. So don't just throw opinions.

"My friend Giring, whatever form it takes, if you want to do something, don't just have an opinion, but also offer a solution," he advised.

Moreover, according to Eko, even if there are irregularities committed by Anies, they will certainly be prosecuted. But, he said, until now there has been no legal process whatsoever against Anies.

"Until now, it's just slow, it means there's no problem," said Eko.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairperson of the NasDem Party DPP, Ahmad Ali, suspects that Giring is campaigning for DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for the 2024 presidential election.

This is because Giring warned that Indonesia should not fall into Anies' hands in 2024. Giring also accused Anies of being a liar.

"'Don't let Indonesia fall in the hands of Anies', maybe Giring is campaigning for Anies today," Ali told reporters, Wednesday, September 22.

In fact, he continued, Anies himself has never declared himself to run in the 2024 presidential election. Likewise, political parties, said Ali, have not officially nominated the former Minister of Education and Culture.

"Giring talks about Anies being a presidential candidate, it is suspect that Giring might be disguised in Anies' campaign," he said.

According to Ali, Giring also deliberately made this statement in order to support PSI's electoral campaign in the 2024 election.

"In the political context, we understand Mas Giring is trying to bind people who don't like Anies. So what is the front line, what is the goal? The PSI party's electoral goal is for the 2024 election," he concluded.

A blunder, Sleigh is considered not to have moved on

Political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, M. Jamiluddin Ritonga, said that Giring Ganesha's assessment of Anies Baswedan to the point of calling him a liar was not objective, even with hate.

Giring is also considered not to have moved on because he does not accept the governor candidate he supports, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, losing to Anies.

"Giring doesn't seem to have moved on from the defeat of Ahok, who was supported by PSI," Jamiluddin told VOI, Wednesday, September 22.

Therefore, according to him, knowingly or not, Giring attacked Anies using feelings, not ratios. "Giring's assessment is naturally more emotional, without being supported by adequate data," he said.

In addition, said Jamiluddin, Giring's assessment also reflects his level which is not worthy of being general chairman. Impressed, still like a junior politician who is just looking for stage and sensation.

Jamiluddin warned that Giring's statement would backfire on himself. Because, people will judge the quality of Giring is still below the standard. In fact, during this time, Giring has spread many billboards who want to run for president.

"So, Giring has made a blunder both for himself and his party. This is certainly detrimental for PSI to face the 2024 election," he said.

PSI Clarification

Spokesman for the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Nanang Priyo Utomo clarified the statement of Acting PSI Chairman Giring Ganesha who called DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan a liar.

Nanang said the lie in question was because what Anies promised when he ran for governor was different from what he did after he was elected.

"The lie referred to by our general chairman is the difference between campaign promises and actions shown by Pak Anies in running the government in DKI," Nanang told VOI, Wednesday, September 22.

When nominating, continued Nanang, Anies promised programs that would help the poor, such as a DP 0 house, to OKE OCE.

"Promises such as a house with a down payment of 0 rupiah, the provision of jobs through OK OCE as well as river naturalization are not carried out optimally," he explained.

However, Nanang said, Anies actually spent trillions of rupiah for the implementation of Formula E in Jakarta. Especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

"But forcing the expenditure of trillions of rupiah to organize races that have never been promised and are not needed by the community," he continued.

Nanang said that Giring's statement also emphasized PSI's stance against the Formula E event in Jakarta. It is known that the DKI DPRD PSI faction is one of the factions that proposed the right of interpellation on the Formula E policy.

"The interpellation is a formal step from PSI in Jakarta. Meanwhile, the president's statement is a form of PSI's concern for the inability of the DKI Regional Government to the social conditions of the community due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which we have not fully resolved," said Nanang.