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| Jokowi and President SBY |
Jokowi (Joko Widodo) is on the best position for rally of presidential
campaign now. Most surveys show Jokowi has the biggest electability.
Why is Jokowi, the governor of Jakarta, so popular? These are the answer. Firstly, he
has non-formal leadership style. This is different with other contenders who
tend to show the traditional characters.
Jimly Ashiddiqie, one of expert in law, says that people likes
to Jokowi because he is a worker. "Public prefer to actions, "
says Jimy quoted media. People don't like leader with the character: no actions talk only (NATO).
Secondly, people see Jokowi has integrity. Psychologist
Hamdi Muluk said Jokowi has good image
as honest and empathy .
Third, Jokowi has good branding as leader. He likes seeing people, inspecting the projects in remote area,
the media call it actions as "blusukan". In Javanese language, blusukan has meaning as walking through
alleys to say hello to people or
checking. The actions result positive image of Jokowi such as hard-worker
profile.
Fourth, there is social epidemic that people tend to follow
the majority. Media coverings help Jokowi be more popular than
challengers.
Fifth, as the Jakarta
governor, Jokowi has very important position. By having the strategic place,
Jokowi become the most interesting object
for media covering.
He is standing on the main stage in political arena as the
number one man in Jakarta .
Jokowi become the point of view on political landscape.
Although Jokowi has many positive points, it doesn't mean
the governor of Jakarta
can not be defeated.
All the presidential candidates are thinking about how to
beat Jokowi. Who can defeat Jokowi?
The candidate must have the opposite character of Jokowi.
The image of Jokowi is very strong, so the contender has to have the stronger
character but with different styles.
First, as Jokowi has worker profile, the rival must be the
visionary. The rival's pointview is not
only the short view but for long period.
It is like pragmatic versus ideological.
All the people likes the character of working-hard as Jokowi did, but it is not enough. The
leader must know where the nation will
go. Not just riding a car with high speed but the driver has to control the car
for going to the right destination.
Jokowi is rare talking about ideological topic. We don't
know where he is going to bring this nation. President is the number man in Indonesia , and
all the people will follow him. Everybody must know the leader will go to
somewhere.
Secondly, the rival must have the good international link. Current President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has the good ability of communication, especially in international forum.
The good relation with world leader will have good impact, especially in the
crisis condition. The ability for convincing the big countries will useful by
supporting Indonesia ,
for example for investment and infrastructures.
Jokowi hadn't have fairly the experience in international
relation. That is a weakness of Jokowi, the rival should be strong on it. In
this case, the rival must have good networking in international stage in order
to will take benefit over competition
with Jokowi.
Third, Jokowi need support from military. Indonesian people
see military is still the key of politic. Military cannot be neglected, so the
combination military-civic or civic-military is ideal for president-vice president
of pairs. Military-military is not good set for now. Jokowi’s partner may be a
military as an ideal companion.
I can say that Jokowi is not the perfect man. He needs the
right partner to follow the presidential election. Sometimes Jokowi’s fanatic
followers say he can win the election whoever his partner. It is too arrogant.
Nevertheless, Jokowi is standing at the front on the racing
route now. Several months before election, Jokowi’s rival are in the position
wait and see. They will “attack” in the right time. There is chance to the challengers to beat
Jokowi. Of course, it is not easy road,
the Jokowi’s opponents must have own characters.
People don’t need Jokowi’s imitation, they want different style of presidential
candidates. People need comparison because they will select them. (Rihad
Wiranto-personal view)
