Four political parties supporting this duo for the posts of Jakarta governor and deputy governor came to this conclusion. The four parties are the United Development Party (PPP), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and Democratic Party (PD).
"These two people are ideal partners, a combination of a military soldier and an experienced bureaucrat," Chairman of the PPP Muhammad Romahurmuziy told reporters at the residence of Democratic Party Chairman, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in Cikeas, Bogor, on Friday morning.
As the best graduate of the Military Academy in 2000 and awarded the Adhi Makayasa award, Agus is a young man with high integrity and a sense of discipline.
With three masters degrees from three universities under his belt, namely from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Harvard University and Webster University (USA), Agus is seen as an intellectual pursued a career in the military and was often tasked with assignments at home and abroad.
"They will prove to be a good asset. Agus has refined personal manners and measures his words carefully. He has a vision, something that citizens of Jakarta need," observed Romahurmuziy, popularly known as Romy.
Sylviana Murni, on other hand, is often seen as a tough bureaucrat, academician and organization activist, seeped in bureaucratic skills.
The Agus-Sylviana pair is considered capable of representing the citizens of Jakarta, a city whose population has an ethic mix of 30 percent Javanese and 24 percent Betawi (Jakartas natives).
"Agus is a Javanese and Sylviana is a Betawi. It is also an ideal combination when seen from a gender perspective," said Romy.
The four-party coalition, called the Cikeas Coalition, is optimistic that the pair offers a new hope for the people of Jakarta.
On Friday morning, PAN General Chairman Zulkifli Hasan announced that the son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, army major Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, has been named as a candidate to contest the next Jakarta Gubernatorial election in 2017.
Deputy Jakarta governor for tourism and culture Sylviana Murni will be Agus running mate, nominated by the coalition of Democratic Party, United Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB) and National Mandate Party (PAN).
Both the names came as a surprise for most observers. These names emerged only during a series of meetings among the four minority parties at Yudhoyonos residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java.
"It was agreed that the candidate for the posts of governor and vice governor, which will go to polls in 2017 will be Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Ms Sylviana Murni," Zulkifli Hasan declared after one such meeting in the early hours of Friday.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
