For him to be President of the country, the time must be ripe like a fruit ripening on a tree and not made ripe by use of carbide."Purwokerto, Central Java (ANTARA News) - This is not the right time for Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to be nominated as a presidential candidate, according to a political observer.
"To prove his ability to overcome complex problems, he (Jokowi) should concentrate on his present position and finish his term of office as Jakarta governor first," said Prof. Rubijanto Misman, from the Jenderal Sudirman University (Unsoed), here on Monday.
He stated that Jokowi could pass the test by turning Jakarta into a better place than what it was at present.
However, Rubijanto continued, there was nothing wrong with calls for the Jakarta governor to nominate himself as a presidential candidate for next year`s presidential race.
"Although surveys show that he is still the country`s favorite political figure, I think it will be a pity if he runs for president so soon. Let him first successfully tackle the complex challenges facing Jakarta. The problems faced by a President are far more difficult," he pointed out.
Rubijanto, who is also a former rector of Unsoed, said Jokowi must first establish a good track record in Jakarta before moving on to bigger things.
"For him to be President of the country, the time must be ripe like a fruit ripening on a tree and not made ripe by use of carbide," he explained.
Despite admitting that Jokowi has a strong chance of winning the 2014 presidential elections, Rubijanto said it would be better if the Jakarta governor nominated himself as a presidential candidate ahead of the 2019 presidential elections.
"Also, I do not think Jokowi should be nominated as a vice presidential candidate. He has the potential to become a president, and solving the Jakarta problem first will further boost his image later," he said, adding that many Indonesians may not approve of Jokowi being elected as president in 2014 without having solved the problems of Jakarta.
Besides, Rubijanto noted, that Jokowi`s road to the presidency would be smoother if the former Solo city mayor successfully completed his term of his office as Jakarta governor.
"Hopefully, we will find the right presidential candidate for next year`s presidential elections, who can serve the country for five years. In time, I believe support for Jokowi will get even stronger. But I can never be too sure because politics is dynamic and things can change very fast. If Jokowi is really needed now, it is still OK," he added.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
