JAKARTA: A proposal to reinstate Surakarta’s special designation status has resurfaced, potentially paving the way for the hometown of former president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to be separated from Central Java, long considered a stronghold of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Aria Bima, a PDI-P politician and the deputy chair of House of Representatives Commission II overseeing home affairs, revealed the idea after a meeting with the Home Ministry last week, saying that Surakarta was among six regions seeking special status. While details about the origin of the proposal and how Surakarta would be governed under special status remain unclear, the PDI-P has expressed opposition to the idea.
