Indonesia Topics

Muhaimin Iskandar is elected again as the chairman of PKB Muhaimin version. Iskandar has 375 votes from a total of 419 votes. The extraordinary congress of PKB Muhaimin also elected KH Aziz Mansyur as the chairman of Dewan Syuro. This congress is held in Mercure Hotel, Ancol Jakarta.

The conflict in PKB breaks PKB into 2 version: PKB Gus Dur version with Ali Masykur Musa as the chairman and PKB Muhaimin Iskandar version as himself being the chairman of the party.

This conflict will threaten PKB in 2009 general election if this problem has not been solved yet. Thus, it may be result in the significant fall of votes.

Through an extraordinary PKB national congress (Gus Dur version) in Ashriyyah Nurul Iman Islamic boarding school Bogor, Ali Masykur Musa has been elected to be the Chairman of National Awakening Party (Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa - PKB). In his first speech as a PKB leader, he promises to be loyal and faithful to Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid)

“I promise that I will be faithful unlike the previous leaders who eventually betray Gus Dur and threaten PKB,” says Musa.

As widely known, there was a conflict between Gus Dur and Muhaimin Iskandar, the Chairman of PKB before Ali Masykur Musa. Gus Dur suspects Muhaimin of being unfaithful to him and to the party. Gus Dur previously states that SBY-JK are trying to use Muhaimin to weaken PKB.

So, it is more than twice PKB has this conflict. First happen to Matori Abdul Jalil, Alwi Shihab, Choirul Anam and now Muhaimin Iskandar. Today, PKB has 2 leader: first is PKB Muhaimin Iskandar version and the second is PKB Gus Dur version which lead by Ali Masykur Musa. Both claim to be the authoritative of the party.

Some political analysts say that there will be no PKB without Gus Dur. Does this mean Muhaimin Iskandar would have the same fate as Choirul Anam and others? Or, could Muhaimin reform the party by stop puting the party to a central figure named Gus Dur?

We have to see.

It’s probably rare, but in this information age, Sjahrazad Masdar took the opportunity. Masdar totally realize that there are only about 5-10% of Lumajang population who use the Internet and have votes in the next Pilkada Bupati (mayor) Lumajang. Does this really matters to the Lumajang voters?

“10% is fairly huge number. If I could get the 10%, then I only need to work another 42% votes to make sure that I will be the next Lumajang mayor,” says Masdar to IndonesiaTopics.Com.

Masdar’s opinion is optimistic and realistic. Blog makes life easier to communicate with potential voters. He believes that those people who come to his blog and got the right to vote next July are rational voters.

“At least, they know computers, internet and they are part of the best human resources that Lumajang have. We bring web 2.0 to voters ,” says Masdar who just won Golkar Party Convention.

Masdar’s blog located in CakAjad08.Com is maintained by Syamsul Arief Rakhmadani, a public relation professional in Jakarta, together with his team from Australia and Lumajang. Rakhmadani is fully aware that having a blog may rise the “intellectual” perspective of one candidate.

“It means that if you vote for Masdar, you don’t vote for a bloody stupid or I might say intellectually poor person who runs for Bupati. Masdar exactly knows information technology and Lumajang people need this kind of leader to take Lumajang forward,” says Rakhmadani.

Public relation theory speaking that image is definitely important in political marketing. Masdar’s image is smart inside out. He has a long great track record in public servant and had been a great temporarily acting Jember’s Mayor during Jember Pilkada.

“So, having a blog is a fantastic move to Masdar image as well as a great tool of political communication,” says Rakhmadani.

They were husband and wife. But they are now divorced. Now, these 2 people have also 2 different destiny and fate. Saipul Jamil, who is well-known as a male dangdut singer, register himself to become vice-major or Serang from Unity Develompent Party (PPP). On the other, his ex-wife Dewi Persik, also a well-known dangdut singer with a little striptease skill, is now banned in different places.

Dewi Persik is now banned in South Sumatra, Depok and West Java. My question is, if Saipul Jamil later on become the vice-major of Serang, will he ban Dewi Persik his ex-wife performing his goyang-gergaji (saw dance) in his jurisdiction?

Inul Daratista and Trio Macan are also banned performing in these places.

Several quick-counts held by various institutions turn to be right. KPUD (regional general election commission) confirms that Ahmad Heryawan-Dede Yusuf (HADE) won the West Java (Jabar) election by 7,287,647 votes.

Agum Gumelar -Nu’man Abdul Hakim (AMAN) won the second place by having 6,217,557 votes. AMAN was supported by 7 parties coalition including PKB. Golkar and Democrate Party candidate H Danny Setiawan - H Iwan Sulanjana (DAI) get the last position with 4,490,901 votes.

In this election, around 27,933,259 or 37% voters did not have their votes or GOLPUT (golongan putih).

This conclude that West Javanese request the change of regime. Voters do not vote parties, they vote figures.

Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS - Justice and Prosperity Party) strikes another victory in the Pilkada (local election) race. After the victory of Ahmad Heryawan - Dede Yusuf in West Java (Jawa Barat), PKS, together with PBR and PPP, lead the Pilkada in North Sumatra (Sumut). This time is Syamsul Arifin-Gatot P turn. They defeat the coalition of big parties such as Golkar and PDIP who dominated the election in 2004.

Syamsul Arifin-Gatot P won 27-29% according to several voting institutes who conducted quick count. In most of the cases, the final of the real count will not be far away from the quick count.

Golkar is obviously in danger. They lost at least in 3 most Golkar-influence area such as Sulsel (South Sulawesi), Jabar (West Java) and Sumut (North Sumatra). WIll they still get significant votes in this nation?

As for PKS, this is a strong indication of how solid a political machine can be. Nationally, PKS only have 8% votes in 2004. From here, it is not a dream anymore to get 20% votes in 2009 and becoming the majority in the parliament. That’s their target.

Will this be the story? Of course we have to wait. There are still more populated voters based in East Java and Central Java who will have their governor election later this year.

In East Java itself, PKS haven’t made up their mind yet. Will they endorse Soenarjo-Ali Maschan (salam), Soekarwo-Syaifullah Yusuf (karsa), Khofifah Indar Parawangsa (PPP) or Achmady (PKB)? How about in smalll cities (kabupaten or kotamadya)? In Lumajang for example, PKS refuses to endorse one of the smart national and religious figure who will most likely win the Lumajang’s Bupati election Sjahrazad Masdar? Remember, in Pilkada, voters get to vote a figure, not party.

There are numbers of indication. They could be strong in nationally but PKS would have to be more worry about the damage from the grass roots.

Another famous Indonesia actorwill put his hands to shape up the Indonesian government. He is Dede Yusuf, a well known actor, together with Ahmad Heryawan won the West Java (Jawa Barat) Governor’s Election. In fact, they won 40% of majority votes of West Javanese.

Second place goes to Agum Gumelar - Nu’man who gets fairly close to 34%. The incumbent, Danny Setiawan, who people consider as the strongest man to lead West Jabar twice, apparently fall to third place by only having 26% of the votes.

Again, this is a surprising election (Pilkada). The underdog get to win the race. PKS (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera - Justice and Prosperity Party) did it again, with PAN (Partai Amanat Nasional - National Mandate Party).

Ahmad Heryawan & Dede Yusuf (HADE) both are 41 year-old. Very young to be West Java leader. But they got the votes and West Javanese believe in them. So we must wait of what this young couple can do.

Congratulations to both of you! Stop the romance, and please get the job done!

Indonesia’s President Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gives a tough reaction to the Fitna movies made by a right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders. He commands to the government and indonesians to ban this movie and prohibits its distribution. The President gives his press conference regarding this matter on Monday (31/3) night with several ministers.

Yudhoyono, the ex-military troops, says,”After I observed and watched the reaction of people in Indonesia and other part of the world, I forbid the movie to be distributed as it will ruin the unity and tolerant between believers in Indonesia”.

Through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Yudhoyono told the minister to send a official protest of this movie.

Fitna, a 17 minutes duration movie, pictures unbalanced stories about Islam and Moslem in the world. It potrays Islam as a violence and intolerant religion that should not be followed.

However, many countries have already banned the moview including the Netherland government itself. Ban Ki-Moon, General Secretary of United Nations says that Fitna the movie has no relation with the freedom of speech and freedom of the press.