Jakarta Governor Candidates: Faisal Basri (1)

I met noted economist Faisal Basri at Le Meriden hotel, Jakarta, two months ago and directly raised the question: Do you really want to run for the governorship? He said: I'm not sure yet. But as reported by The Jakarta Post today, Basri confirmed his candidacy and is lobbying PDI-P (the party led by Megawati Soekarnoputri) to be the party's candidate.

So, Basri is competing with former minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and the 2004 vice president candidate Agum Gumelar as governor candidate under PDI-P banner. Banteng Muda Indonesia (BMI), one of PDI-P's youth organizations, told Rakyat Merdeka newspaper yesterday that it rejects Sarwono as PDI-P's candidate. I would say Agum might be rejected by some party members especially with his move to leave Megawati camp in 2004 and supported Hamzah Haz's bid for presidency instead.
I will not do profiling on Basri as you can read that at his personal website at www.faisalbasri.com. But to cut it short, Basri is a nationalist figure, pluralism campaigner, popular among young intellectuals & students, and support free and fair competition in all walks of life.
Who underwrites Basri's candidacy? This is a difficult question I can't answer myself. Anybody knows something about that? Do you think he has the capability to be governor?

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