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Gerindra signals it would support ex-general in Jakarta election over Sandiaga
Jakarta Globe - May 24, 2016
Abdul Ghoni, deputy chairman of the Jakarta chapter of Gerindra, told Detik.com that the party will likely select Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin relegating the other, and more popular candidate, businessman Sandiaga Uno to its second choice. The announcement will be made by the party's central leadership board at the end of the month.
Ghoni said the retired Army general "had performed well" as chief of the Jayakarta military command in Jakarta during the widespread riot surrounding President Suharto's resignation in1998.
Sjafrie "was very close to the Jakarta people at the time. He was idolized by many housewives at the time. It is fitting that Jakarta is led by a military man," Ghoni told the portal.
Then commander of the Army's special forces' intelligence task force, Sjafrie was accused by the international community of orchestrating the Santa Cruz massacre on November 12, 1991 which claimed the lives of more than 250 East Timorese pro-independence protesters.
Sjafrie was also among those accused of establishing a pro-Jakarta militia which caused widespread violence in East Timor during the 1999 referendum.
In September 2009, the United States refused to issue a visa for Sjafrie, then deputy defense minister, to accompany then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to attend the G20 leaders summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Ghoni said Sandiaga "is ready to become [Sjafrie's] running mate," claiming that several parties have already expressed interests in supporting the pair. However, Gerindra central leadership chairman Ahmad Riza Patria said that Sjafrie is more likely to be paired by a candidate from another party.
Gerindra has 15 seats at the Jakarta City Council, 12 seats short from being able to nominate its own pair. Ahmad said Gerindra could form a two party coalition with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with 28 seats, or form an alliance with at least two more parties.
The third biggest party in the House is the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) with 11 seats, which means even if it forms a coalition with Gerindra the bloc would still be one seat short.
Sandiaga, who is also vying for tickets from other parties including the PDI-P, resisted commenting on the claims he would likely be named second pick by his own party.
"I have heard about it. However, the final decision is in the hands of [Gerindra chairman] Prabowo [Subianto]. I will continue to work until the final decision is made," he said as quoted by Tempo.co. "Whatever the party's decision will be, I will support it."
[According to Kompas.com, Sandiaga said that Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto hand-picked Sjafrie as a candidate. For background information on Sjamsoeddin see the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) article "Indonesian General Not Fit for Civilian Defense Post" at http://www.etan.org/news/2010/01sjafrie.htm.]
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