Anies Baswedan is Out of the Running
Once the Constitutional Court lowered the electoral threshold, a path emerged for Anies Baswedan, a political independent, to become the candidate of one or more parties, especially PDI-P, for Jakarta governor. In a display of practical fealty, the PDI-P, chaired by former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, decided against nominating Anies Baswedan as its candidate despite his overwhelming popularity. Instead they chose Pramono Agung, currently Cabinet Secretary, even though he is not well known among voters. The leading candidate remains Ridwan Kamil, a non-native, who previously served as governor of West Java, who is backed by the KIM coalition established by President Jokowi and President-elect Prabowo plus several small parties, each of which could have chosen Baswedan as their candidate. PDI-P and the other parties decided to cede Jakarta to the coalition in return for either Cabinet positions, or assurances that its candidates in other regions would be blocked in a manner that has become all too common: the threat of a legal investigation. That tactic may have contributed to the sudden resignation of Golkar’s Airlangga Hartarto. However, PDI-P may still be smarting from the 2017 campaign when its popular candidate, incumbent mayor Ahok Purnama, lost after suspicious claims of blasphemy were floated by supporters of Baswedan. President Jokowi appears to also have given Kamil, a noted reformer, a nod. If elected, Kamil could make Jakarta more liveable, employing smart city techniques he implemented in when he was mayor Bandung.
Bill to Expand the Cabinet
The House of Representatives and the government are set to begin formal deliberations next week on a bill that will allow president-elect Prabowo Subianto to build a bigger cabinet once he assumes office. Currently the defense minister, Prabowo will begin his presidency next month. He is reportedly considering assembling a larger cabinet, an idea that his camp says would ensure an effective government. But this will require a revision of the 2008 Ministry Law that limits the number of ministries to 34. The legislature, dominated by lawmakers from parties allied with outgoing President Joko Widodo and his incoming successor Prabowo, has moved quickly since May to push their plan to revise the law. Lawmakers have since agreed that the bill they are preparing would scrap the limit on the number of ministries and allow it to be “determined in accordance with the needs of the sitting president”. Critics say a bigger Prabowo cabinet would simply serve to accommodate his allies with little regard for effective governance or ensuring his programs are executed, a position that pro-Prabowo parties and some rival parties have rejected. (Jakarta Post)
Travelers Required to Complete Health Certicate
Prior to landing in Indonesia, air passengers and crew are now required to complete a on-line health questionnaire as a preventative measure against the spread of the monkey pox (mpox) virus. The pass is available here: https://sshp.kemkes.go.id/