Jakarta Gubernatorial Election: PKB Reflects on Disappointing Performance
The 2024 Jakarta gubernatorial election has left the PKB (Nation Awakening Party) with some serious introspection to do. Their chosen candidate, Ridwan Kamil (RK), paired with Suswono, underperformed according to initial vote counts, leading to questions about the party’s campaign effectiveness.
Jazilul Fawaid, PKB’s Deputy General Chairman, strongly disputed the idea that the party didn’t put forth its best effort. “Our entire structure, including PKB members of Jakarta’s Regional Legislature, worked tirelessly. It’s like selling a product, what if nobody wants it?" he said during a press conference at Jakarta’s Hotel Sultan.
Despite the dedication, Jazilul acknowledged the unique challenges of a gubernatorial race compared to legislative elections. He believes the emphasis on individual candidates heavily influenced the outcome. “In gubernatorial elections, the popularity of the candidate determines everything," he explained, highlighting this as a significant hurdle for the RK-Suswono duo.
Jazilul attributed the pair’s lackluster performance to their inability to capture the public’s imagination. He argued that the candidate selection process lacked genuine grassroots engagement, leaving Jakarta residents unimpressed with the available options. "Frankly, RK-Suswono didn’t pique the public’s interest. There was a distinct lack of enthusiasm," he stated.
Adding to the issue, Jazilul noted the absence of a "national-level" personality in the race. Generally, Jakarta’s elections have been a platform for individuals who could potentially lead on a larger scale, but this year proved different.
Compounding the situation was the historically low voter turnout, a mere 53.05% of eligible voters participating in the election. This apathy, in Jazilul’s view, can be attributed to Jakarta’s population being highly educated, critical, and difficult to please.
While the PKB grapples with the election results, Ahmad Riza Patria, head of RK-Suswono’s campaign team, maintained the unity and commitment of all supporting parties.
"Every day, the political machinery kept running, with everyone working cohesively from morning till night," he affirmed from the Golkar Party headquarters in Jakarta.
_You can stay up to date on breaking news and top stories directly on your phone. Click here to access the Kompas.com WhatsApp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFPbedBPzjZrk13HO3D. Remember, you’ll need WhatsApp installed to access the channel._
