Ahok Officially Resigned From The Gerindra Party In Today's Memori, September 10, 2014

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) who served as Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta from the 2012-2014 era and the Governor of DKI Jakarta from the 2014-2017 era. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA – Today's Memori, nine years ago, September 10, 2014, the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) officially resigned from the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). The difference in views between Ahok and Gerindra led to this.

Previously, Gerindra's role in winning the 2012 DKI Jakarta Regional Election was very large. Gerindra together with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) collaborated to nominate their cadres. PDIP nominated Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as a candidate for governor, while Gerindra nominated Ahok as deputy governor.

Political marriages are often part of political contestation. PDIP and Gerindra's steps in the 2012 DKI Jakarta Regional Election, for example. The two big parties are trying to formulate the right strategy to win the DKI Jakarta Pilkada.

Each party tries to name its best cadres. The results are brilliant. Gerindra and PDIP named Jokowi-Ahok as candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta. Jokowi is a PDIP cadre and Ahok is a Gerindra cadre.

The choice of Ahok himself as a candidate for deputy governor of DKI Jakarta was the choice of Gerindra's own official, Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo likes Ahok's reputation and style of leadership. That choice wasn't wrong. The first round of the DKI Jakarta Regional Election was won by Jokowi-Ahok. Meanwhile, Fauzi Bowo-Nachrowi Ramli (Foke Nara) finished second.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) resigned from the Gerindra Party on September 10 2014. (Wikimedia Commons)

The second round of regional elections was held. PDIP and Gerindra are getting more serious about politics so that their candidates will excel. They are ready to try to counter all kinds of black propaganda directed at Jokowi-Ahok.

Moreover, both of them are not local sons who come from the tribe that inhabits Jakarta, Betawi. PDIP and Gerindra are not too concerned about this. Both of them believe that the figures of Jokowi, the former Mayor of Solo, and Ahok, the former Regent of East Belitung, can provide new hope for the people of Jakarta.

As a result, Jokowi-Ahok won the DKI Jakarta Regional Election. Both of them were ahead with 53.82 percent of the vote from Foke-Nara who only won 46.17 percent of the vote. Therefore, Jokowi-Ahok was appointed as the new Governor and Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta on October 15, 2012.

"One person who doesn't mind Ahok's speaking style is Prabowo Subianto (an important person from the Gerindra Party). Prabowo understands that Ahok's speaking style sounds harsh, but it is not the rudeness of Ahok's words that should be seen. However, there are good intentions behind those words.”

"Prabowo believes that behind Ahok's harsh words there is something good. "The only problem is the good thing that Ahok conveyed with his choice of plain and brave language," wrote Ismantoro Dwi and his friends in the book "Gara-Gara Ahok: Dari Kegaduhan ke Kegaduhan (2017)”.

Ahok's leadership as Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta is running smoothly. Gerindra also fully supports Ahok. However, a new problem arose when Ahok and Gerindra had a disagreement in 2014. Ahok, who is actually the Chairman of the Central Leadership Council for Political Affairs of the Gerindra Party, did not agree with the party's decision regarding the proposed regional head election to be perpetuated by the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) class.

The choice was made. He considered that instead of having to agree as a party official, he chose to resign because the Gerindra Party's attitude did not suit his conscience. Ahok's resignation was then officially accepted by Gerindra on September 10, 2014.

"I have officially resigned from Gerindra. Since I submitted this letter, I am no longer a member of a political party. For me, the Gerindra Party is no longer in line with my struggle to give the people the best choice," said Ahok at Jakarta City Hall as quoted Kompas.com, September 10, 2014.