Sarwono drops out of race

Jakarta, NU Online
Legislator Sarwono Kusumaatmadja announced Monday he was dropping his candidacy for Jakarta governor, citing disgust over the maneuverings of political parties ahead of the election.

The decision was made after the National Mandate Party (PAN) announced earlier in the day it was withdrawing its support for Sarwono and joining the coalition of current Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo.<>

PAN's Jakarta chapter said it joined Fauzi's coalition because of the National Awakening Party (PKB)'s decision to name actress Rieke Dyah Pitaloka as its deputy governor candidate, despite a reported agreement between the two parties to name PAN member Jeffrie Geovanie as Sarwono's running mate.

Sarwono, a member of the Regional Representatives Council, said the maneuverings were the result of the intensive campaigning of political parties by Fauzi's team.

He said several other political parties that initially threw their weight behind him had jumped to Fauzi's Jakarta Coalition.

"It's common practice in politics. If I were a candidate with a lot of money I would take on my rivals in the same way," he said, although he could not provide evidence the parties had received money from Fauzi's team.

A member of the deputy governor's campaign team, Andi Ramses Marpaung, acknowledged they were wooing big and small parties, but denied any exchange of money for support.

Sarwono had been seen as a potential threat to Fauzi in the election.

When the two were both campaigning last year for the support of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Sarwono rated higher with many in the party and party supporters.

However, the PDI-P's central board chose to back Fauzi in the election.

With Sarwono pulling out of the race, Fauzi appears to be the favorite to earn the support of the National Awakening Party.

The deputy governor is the head of the Jakarta chapter of Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, and many of the PKB's supporters are members of the organization.

The central boards of PAN, PKB and several smaller parties had earlier agreed to form a coalition to support Sarwono.

However, this support began falling apart almost as soon as it was announced.

Before the PKB and PAN spat, the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI) had pulled out of the coalition to join Fauzi's Jakarta Coalition.

Fauzi and his running mate, Maj. Gen. Prijanto, have been endorsed by 13 parties, including major ones like the Democratic Party and the PDI-P.

The head of PAN's campaign team for the gubernatorial election, Totok Daryanto, did offer a lukewarm endorsement for Sarwono, opening the possibility the coalition could reform.

"Sarwono has known for a long time that our Jakarta chapter dislikes him, but the central board is the one that has the power to decide the official support from the party, and we are committed to supporting him. So he does not have to worry about the chapter's statement."

He also dismissed the idea that Sarwono was pulling out of the race in disgust over political maneuvering, saying it had more to do with his failure to garner sufficient support to qualify for the race under the guidelines laid out in the Regional Autonomy Law.

Totok said PAN would wait until Wednesday to announce what direction it would now take in the election.

The Jakarta General Elections Commission will close candidate registration Thursday. (tjp/dar)