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Checkmate: Jokowi gets the go-ahead from opposition
Jakarta Globe - January 30, 2015
Despite calling the meeting a mere courtesy visit, Prabowo admitted that the candidacy of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan was among the topics discussed.
"We briefly spoke about [Joko's] commitment to strengthen and preserve all state institutions," he said at the Bogor Palace, south of Jakarta, shortly after meeting the president
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) declared Budi a graft suspect just days after Joko nominated the police general as his sole candidate for National Police chief, following an investigation into suspiciously large transactions made through his bank accounts.
Despite the move, the House of Representatives endorsed Budi's nomination, leaving Joko with tough choices: inaugurate a graft suspect as police chief and lose public support, or face a political backlash for disrespecting the parliamentary endorsement process.
The strongest call for Joko to go ahead with the inauguration came from his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Budi was the security aide of party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri during her time as president in 2001-2004. She is also Joko's chief patron.
Prabowo on Thursday aired his support for whatever Joko's decision may be. "An inauguration is in the hands of the executive. I told him that we will respect whatever decision the president makes as bearer of the people's mandate," he said. "I reminded him to put the people's interest above all else and choose what is best for the country."
The president on Thursday also met with former President B.J. Habibie, a senior politician from Golkar, another opposition party. Habibie said Joko, as the second Indonesian president to be directly elected by voters, answers to no one but the country's people.
"Today there is not a single party in Indonesia that received more than 20 percent of people's votes. Not a single one. But a president should be elected by no less than 51 percent [of the vote]," he said stressing the fact that Joko has more public support than his own party.
Political analyst Arya Fernandez of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, saw Joko's move in meeting the two political figures, particularly Prabowo who lost to Joko in last year's election, as a possible warning to Megawati and the PDI-P.
"It is a way for Jokowi to show [...] some political elites inside the PDI-P that he is not afraid to leave them if the PDI-P keeps interfering with the government's performance," he said, referring to the president by his popular nickname. "This is a strong gesture because Prabowo and Jokowi fought fiercely in the presidential election."
The meeting came after a call by PDI-P lawmaker Effendi Simbolon for Joko's impeachment. The politician criticized a range of Joko's policies, particularly his decision to delay Budi's inauguration. Effendi added that many in the PDI-P were unhappy with the president, and believe he had strayed far from their vision.
Several PDI-P politicians have retaliated against the KPK for its dogged pursuit of charges against Budi. The KPK has arrested dozens of PDI-P politicians in recent years for their alleged involvement in a range of graft cases.
PDI-P deputy secretary general Hasto Kristianto has accused KPK chairman Abraham Samad of pursuing a vendetta against Budi, whom he says sabotaged Abraham's ambition to become Joko's running mate. Abraham has denied seeking – or even entertaining overtures – to become Joko's running mate in the presidential election.
Fellow PDI-P politician Sugianto Sabran has similarly filed a police complaint against KPK deputy Bambang Widjojanto for allegedly suborning perjury from a client he represented as an attorney in an election case that the Constitutional Court tried five years ago.
Bambang was subsequently charged by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Division, a unit led by Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso, whose son is reportedly engaged to Budi Gunawan's daughter.
Observers have noted that the PDI-P politicians' retaliation against the KPK and Joko could not have been done without the knowledge and consent of Megawati, whose power has gone virtually unchallenged since she founded the party in 1999.
Joko this week formed an independent team tasked with reviewing the legal processes within the nation's two top law enforcement agencies, particularly steps that led each to pursue criminal charges against the others' leadership.
Political analyst Cecep Hidayat of the University of Indonesia said the president could use the team, which has recommended that Budi be suspended and not installed as police chief, to defy his party's elites.
"With many political pressure from his coalition, there's an option for Joko to leave the KIH," Cecep said, referring to Joko's six-party Awesome Indonesia Coalition. "However, it is hard for Joko to be entirely independent from political parties. That's the reality."
Another University of Indonesia analyst, Arbi Sanit, said instead of seeking political support, Joko could also forge stronger ties with the Indonesia Military (TNI).
"Joko needs a new power to back him up in running his administration, including in Budi's case," Arbi said. "And the only exit for Joko now is the military, which could rival the power of the police."
Tempo.co news portal reported that Prabowo summoned all opposition leaders on Thursday night, just hours after meeting the president. Fadli Zon, deputy chairman of Prabowo's Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) emerged from the meeting saying the "opposition parties are ready to support the president."
Fadli said Joko's first 100 days in office had been ineffective because of "intervention from parties supporting him" and pledge the opposition's support "as long as it is for the good of the people."
Also present at the meeting were Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Anis Matta, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Hatta Rajasa and Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
House leaders, who once threatened to launch an inquiry against Joko's decision to delay Budi's inauguration, also seemed to soften after the meeting.
"The House can only approve or disapprove of the candidate [provided by the president]. It is up to Joko whether or not he will proceed installing [Budi] as National Police chief," said House Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah, of the PKS.
Senior PDI-P politician Trimedya Panjaitan also maintained that the president would not be breaking the law if he doesn't proceed with Budi's inauguration.
The Law on the National Police stipulates that the president must first seek parliamentary approval before installing a new police chief, but it does not say it is illegal if the president refuses to proceed despite securing approval from the House.
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/checkmate-jokowi-gets-go-ahead-opposition/.
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