JAKARTA: The arrest of a loyal aide to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has raised questions about who will be her choice for the vacant position of secretary-general of the only de facto opposition party ahead of its congress.
PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto, who played a central role in the party’s decision-making process over the past decade, was arrested last month in a protracted bribery investigation that the party insists is politically motivated.
After the arrest, Megawati decided not to name an acting secretary-general and instead she will take over control of the party’s executive board. She said in a letter to party members that “all activities and operations of the party central executive board are under the direct control of the party chairwoman.”
The PDI-P matriarch also assigned two party executives, Ahmad Basarah and Ronny Talapessy, to take on the role of the party’s spokespersons, a job that was previously handled by Hasto as well. Basarah is known as a Megawati loyalist, while Ronny is a lawyer who has provided Hasto with legal counsel in the corruption investigation.
Hasto’s arrest has prompted speculation about who Megawati will pick to succeed him in the upcoming party congress in April, where the chairwoman will likely be reelected and unveil a new central executive board lineup.
Analysts have said senior party members who are Megawati loyalists such as Basarah and Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, who was the cabinet secretary under the administration of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, are serious contenders.
Other possible candidates, analysts said, include lawmakers Said Abdullah and Utut Adianto, both of whom are widely known to be staunch supporters of Puan Maharani, Megawati’s daughter and House of Representatives speaker and who has taken a more accommodating position toward the administration of President Prabowo Subianto.
Even Megawati’s son Prananda Prabowo, who reportedly has a differing view from his sister Puan over the party’s stance and prefers the PDI-P to become a formidable opposition party, has been viewed as a possible candidate.
Political analyst Arya Fernandes of Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said Basarah, Pramono or Prananda have a good chance of being picked by Megawati to serve as the next secretary-general.
“While Prananda has long opted to work behind the scenes, his close relations with Megawati and sharing the same ideological views as Megawati would unquestionably make him suitable for the role,” Arya said.
He noted, however, that Prananda might lack the experience to forge links with other political parties. “Basarah could also be a contender given his long history in the party and experience as a lawmaker. Reappointing Pramono could also be an option given that the party’s situation is not in a great place today,” Arya said.
Arya said that Megawati was likely to pick a figure who had her full trust, pointing to the fact that former PDI-P secretaries-general, such as Hasto, Pramono and the late Tjahjo Kumolo, were consistently senior party members who had close connections with the matriarch.
He stressed the importance of the next party secretary-general “having a vision of how to boost the party’s influence and ensure the party remains relevant amid its eroding voter base in the last legislative and presidential elections”. The PDI-P may have scored a historic hat-trick win in three consecutive legislative elections since 2014, but the votes it gained suggest eroding margins.
Surabaya-based lecturer Airlangga Pribadi said Basarah and Said Abdullah had a high chance of becoming the next secretary-general, noting that Megawati was likely to need a well-connected senior figure who is capable of positioning the party strategically amid the shifting political landscape.
“Said Abdullah has shown great ability in building good relations with political elites,” Airlangga said, noting that the lawmaker had successfully led negotiations with the pro-government coalition to secure the House speaker seat for Puan and other strategic positions in the legislature for the party’s lawmakers.
As for Basarah, Airlangga said, aside from the fact that he “has built good relations with elites from other political parties, he has proven to be able to deliver on assignments from Megawati”.
Basarah and PDI-P spokesperson Guntur Romli were not immediately available for comment. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
