TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo has to ready himself to face bitter opposition against his policy if he decides to let go of the political support from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chief patron, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the alleged mastermind behind the president’s administration, said state administrative law expert Refly Harun.
“There will be setbacks in his administration,” he told Tempo on Sunday, February 15, 2015.
Refly said it was possible the president would sway politicians—including from the opposition—to side with him. “It’s possible that it will not be an issue anymore for him whether [the politicians] are from the Great Indonesia Coalition (KIH) or the Red and White Coalition (KMP),” he said.
According to Refly, the president has thus far showcased smooth political maneuvers, as evident in his recent meeting with Prabowo Subianto, his rival in the July 9 presidential race. Refly said this had signaled that Jokowi was set to team with other parties.
Refly said, however, that the president’s Javanese political fashion, which the former said was non-confronting, had resulted in lengthy political lobbying that tired out many sides. “He could be perceived as indecisive,” he said.
Refly suggested the president proceed with his lobbying bereft of Megawati’s support, which he said would make the Teuku Umar camp—another popular name of Megawati’s camp—to realize the possible losses they would incur from losing the president. “Jokowi is able to be independent and better than Mega,” he said.
YOLANDA RYAN ARMINDYA
