JakartaPost-May 16
Indonesian politics appears to have increasingly become a family affair, with relatives of political elites and sitting governors, mayors and Cabinet ministers running for seats at the House of Representatives, cementing the reign of political dynasties in the country. At least three political heirs have been confirmed to be running in the upcoming legislative race, including Diah Pikatan Orissa Putri Hapsari, known as Pinka Hapsari, the daughter of the House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani and the granddaughter of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. Family members of regional leaders have also joined the fray, such as Yani Ardian, the wife of Bogor, West Java, mayor Bima Arya, both of whom are PAN politicians, and Atalia Praratya Kamil, the wife of West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil. Other family member of political elites joining the race include Titiek Soeharto, the daughter of the late dictator Soeharto and former wife to Gerindra Party leader Prabowo Subianto, who will contest on Gerindra Party’s ticket. “The public will eventually be left out and policymaking processes will only revolve around the interest of the elites,” Firman Noor, a senior political researcher of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).
Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2023/05/16/its-a-family-affair-political-dynasties-take-center-stage-in-2024-polls.html.
