Fauzi Bowo Says Goodbye To The Governor Of DKI Jakarta In Today's Memory, September 25, 2012

Fauzi Bowo, Governor of DKI Jakarta 2007-2012 while participating in the 2012 DKI Jakarta Pilkada, was finally won by the pair Joko Widodo - Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. (Between/Ismar Patrizki)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 11 years ago, September 25, 2012, Fauzi Bowo (Foke) began preparing to leave his position as Governor of DKI Jakarta. He asked to say goodbye to all civil servants who are in the Office of the Mayor of East Jakarta.

Previously, Foke was confident that he could win the 2012 DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. The party supporting Foke is hoarding. He also believes that the Betawi people will vote for him. However, the reality says otherwise. The majority of Jakarta residents actually own Jokowi-Ahok.

Foke is not new to the political map of the capital city. He once accompanied Sutiyoso as Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta in the era of 2002-2007. The position brought blessings. His popularity increased. The Jakarta fill then got to know him as a famous leader.

This narrative is evidenced by his victory in the 2007 gubernatorial election. Since then Foke and Prijanto have become the new Governors and Deputy Governors of DKI Jakarta. He does his job well. Even though it's not very smooth.

Flood and traffic jams are problems that have been resolved. However, that does not mean that his popularity is disrupted. Foke is even confident in participating in the 2012 gubernatorial election. Many political parties support it.

At that time he was paired with Nachrowi Ramli (Nara). He also dared to challenge the figures of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) who were only promoted by two parties from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

The result was surprising. Foke had to admit that the citizens of Jakarta actually wanted a new leader. Jokowi-Ahok won in the first round of the gubernatorial election. Then, the second round.

Both of them won 53.82 percent of the votes from Foke-Nara which only won 46.17 percent of the votes in the second round, September 20, 2012. This proves that Foke's campaign strategy was unable to raise votes to win in DKI Jakarta.

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 Foke and Nara during the break between the first and second rounds of elections, trying to destroy the meritocracy principle. The campaign has also eroded religious tolerance. The problem that will be a big job and must be resolved by the new governor," wrote a Tempo Magazine report entitled New Governor of Jakarta Lama (2012).

Foke also chivalrily accepted his defeat. He continued his position until the ceremony for handing over the old governor's position to the governor was only held on October 15. Foke used the rest of his term of office as well as possible.

Even Foke also prepared to leave his position as Governor of DKI Jakarta. This desire was seen when Foke visited the Jakarta Mayor's Office on September 25, 2012. Foke's arrival was carried out specifically to say goodbye to the local civil servants.

"Today there is no direction, I just want to say goodbye. If someone gets scolded, I apologize. The performance of the local government must be better in the future. I am pro-democracy. I have shown my commitment to democracy. In the ranks of local governments, I hope to also follow it. Unless we don't agree with democracy, we can protest," said Foke as quoted by Kompas.com, September 25, 2012.