Who Can Defeat Jokowi

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)   

Jokowi Reality or Myth

Jokowi masuk got.

Everyone talk about Jokowi now. Every where. Amazing. Only few people comment him in negative ways. Why are most people talking about him positively? Whether Jokowi is excellent or people are just telling illusion about him?

Okay, people say what Jokowi’s  real achievements. Let’s say, monorail had been canceled by complicated reasons and we ever thought the project would die forever. Today the dreams seem came true again. Jokowi has found the loosing part in the puzzle.

Jokowi is moving everywhere, seeing communities, chatting with kids and moms, and servicing societies. Fortunately, reporters follow him day and night. Jokowi get benefits from the coverage which not only by local media, but national even international news hunters.

   

We are asking again, are people impressed by Jokowi’s real achievement or amazed by abundant media covering. Researcher of Cyrus Network, Eko David Dafianto says people tend to be irrational when they are chatting about Jokowi. “They are trapped between reality and myth, “ said Eko, Saunday (15/12) quoted by media in Jakarta.

Jokowi is on the front of presidential campaign for election next year. His electability has been reaching 28.2 percent the highest level than his contenders. He needs 51 percent voters to win election. The competitors, of course, still have chances to win the racing, but they must work very hard.

Many surveys show candidates for Indonesian Number One, such Prabowo Subianto (Gerindra), Aburizal Bakrie (Golkar), Wiranto (Hanura), Megawati Soekarnoputri (PDIP), and Jusuf Kalla. There is not candidate who can reach eletability more than 15 percent according to many surveys, except Jokowi.

Old-fashioned competitor show “King style”, like speaking softly, sounding authoritative voice, standing not closely to people, and keeping the image.      

Jokowi is anomaly. He is newcomer on the national stage and having new style of leadership which caring to grassroots community.

I can say he is not handsome (I am sorry). He looks like ordinary man. He is acting like common people. He jumped in culverts to check water flowing. He preferred inaugurating officials in village than in his governor office. Jokowi’s new style leadership attracted media to cover him everywhere. 

The question is still there, whether media overlook the other presidential candidates. I think the answer is yes. Jokowi has been moving to a media darling. He got benefit from the status. However, it is not fair for public.

Journalist should open eyes to criticize the Jokowi policies to make sure implementation of the cover-both sides style that media have to adhere. Reporters tend to write off negative information of Jokowi’s activities.

Some people say Jokowi is like prophet.  Republika online wrote about how some people call Jokowi as Nabi Jokowi or Prophet Jokowi. Googling with key word “Nabi Jokowi” detected 1,9 million finding. It is too crazy judging the ordinary man as prophet. It is media challenges to protect themselves from intervention of irrationalism. News writer have to focus showing facts and data, not influenced by admiration of Jokowi.

Indonesia needs new president post SBY. Many candidates are there beyond Jokowi.  Many of them has proclaimed as the presidential candidates, namely businessman Aburizal Bakrie (Golkar), retired army General Wiranto (Hanura), singer Rhoma Irama and eleven men via Democratic Party’s Convention. 

Presidential candidates of Democratic Convention are Ali Masykur Musa, Anies Baswedan, Dahlan Iskan, Dino Patti Djalal, Endriartono Sutarto, Gita Wirjawan, Irman Gusman, Hayono Isman, Marzuki Alie, Pramono Edhie Wibowo, and Sinyo Harry Sarundajang.

Media should prioritize showing programs and actions the candidates and make balancing for all. Public hunger information about the candidates not only their proposals, but tracks record. It is the noble task for media.   Rihad Wiranto