Puan Maharani Was Nominated As Jokowi's Vice Presidential Candidate In Today's Memory, May 15, 2014

Puan Maharani was nominated as President Jokowi's Vice Presidential Candidate on May 15, 2014. (Between)

JAKARTA Memories of today, nine years ago, May 15, 2014, the General Chair of the Golkar Party, Aburizal Bakrie visited the residence of the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Megawati Soekarnoputri. Aburizal conveyed his intention to make Puan Maharani a candidate for Vice President (Cawapres) accompanying Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Previously, the presence of Jokowi in the political map of Indonesia brought a new color. He is known as a populist leader. He was even able to be elected as Governor of DKI Jakarta, then nominated as President of Indonesia.

The contestation of the DKI Jakarta Regional Head Election (Pilkada) often attracts attention throughout the country. In the 2012 DKI Jakarta Pilkada, for example. The heat pressure can be felt to remote areas of the country. All because of the presence of Jokowi as a candidate for governor and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) as his deputy.

The two names have become famous in the archipelago as leaders with integrity. The two of them were then directed at the perfect representation of the leader of the mayor's face guard. The black issues related to the two figures flowed rapidly. Moreover, Ahok, who came from a minority.

The issue in fact was unable to stem Jokowi and Ahok's steps. The first round of the Pilkada was won by Jokowi and Ahok by defeating the other four pairs. While his strong opponent, Fauzi Bowo- Nachrowi Ramli (Foke-Nara) took second place.

The gubernatorial election was continued to the second round to find a winner. The black campaign related to the two pairs of candidates for Jakarta leaders surfaced. As a result, the residents of Jakarta made their choice. Jokowi-Ahok also won the DKI Jakarta Pilkada.

Both of them won 53.82 percent of the votes from Foke-Nara which only won 46.17 percent of the votes. Therefore, Jokowi-Ahok was also appointed governor and deputy governor of DKI Jakarta who only won on October 15, 2012.

The campaign's failure to use the issues of ethnicity, religion, race, and intergroup in Jakarta is positive news. Propaganda chose a candidate of faith, which was intensified by supporters of Fauzi and Nachrowi during the break between the first and second rounds of elections, trying to destroy the meritocracy principle. The campaign also eroded religious tolerance, a problem that would be a big job and had to be resolved by the new governor.

Jokowi and Basuki may raise hope for the residents of Jakarta: they will lead the capital more humanely. When leading the city of Solo, Jokowi is known to be very humane. He, for example, asked the Civil Service Police Unit to "lock" their clubs and pistols. Jokowi was also able to move the market merchant area without turmoil. When he became the Regent of East Belitung, Bangka-Belitung Province, Basuki was also quite grounded," wrote a Tempo Magazine report entitled New Governor of Jakarta Lama (2012).

Jokowi's image as the Governor of DKI Jakarta has also increased. In fact, his name is mentioned as a strong candidate who will replace Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) as the new President of Indonesia.

Ulam's beloved pinnacle arrives. Jokowi's name was echoed by PDIP as a candidate for President of Indonesia. The general chairman of the PDIP, Megawati Soekarnoputri also supported the proposal. He believes the Indonesian people will vote for Jokowi.

However, the caddat to accompany Jokowi continues to be sought. Parties that are in the same coalition with PDIP are also actively providing input. Golkar, especially. The chairman of the Golkar Party, Aburizal Bakrie then went directly to Megawati's residence on Jalan Teuku Umar, Menteng, Central Jakarta on May 15, 2014.

He immediately offered the name of Megawati's child, Puan Maharani, as a candidate for Vice Presidential Candidate who accompanied Jokowi. Puan is considered the right figure. Moreover, Puan is not new in the world of Indonesian politics. Aburizal has no doubt about his capacity to be satisfied as a politician.

The proposal was not immediately approved. Even though Puan Maharani was ready to be nominated. All decisions depend on Megawati Soekarnoputri's power. Then, Megawati's choice to accompany Jokowi was not to Puan. Because, the choice of Jokowi's companion fell to Jusuf Kalla.

"Mrs. Ketum's decision is whether we will run from internal or external, but what is certain is that whoever the candidate is a candidate from the PDI-Perjuangan," said member of Commission I of the DPR, Puan Maharani as quoted by Kompas.com, 15 May 2014.