Jakarta. Anies Baswedan said Ridwan Kamil was just an “old friend” amid rumors of the two possibly competing against one another for the gubernatorial position in Jakarta.

Anies, who tried to run for president in the February election, was the former Jakarta governor. Rumors are also now circulating that Ridwan Kamil -- who used to be the governor of West Java -- would try for the top job at the Jakarta provincial government. 

Both politicians attended King Charles III’s birthday dinner in Jakarta on Thursday night. Ridwan Kamil even uploaded a selfie with Anies on his Instagram the next day, immediately sparking netizens’ reactions. On the sidelines of the gala dinner, Anies commented on his closeness with Ridwan Kamil.

“Well, he [Ridwan Kamil] is just a friend. Just an old friend,” Anies told the press that evening.

Anies did not say much when asked by the press about Ridwan Kamil and himself possibly competing in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election. He added: “Well, we will see. Just let things flow.” 

Anies gave the same response on the possibility of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) nominating him as the Jakarta governor candidate.  

“Just let things flow,” Anies said.

“We will see.”

On his Instagram post, Ridwan also called Anies “an old friend”. 

“Praise be to God I met an old friend, Mas [brother] Anies Baswedan, and some other public figures and other colleagues,” Ridwan wrote. 

Anies was on the list of names that PDI-P was considering to support in the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Other names include Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung and former military chief Andika Perkasa, according to the party’s secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto earlier this week. Said Abdullah, the chairman of the PDI-P central executive board, also revealed the party was also considering Kaesang Pangarep. Kaesang is President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s youngest son and the chair of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).

Anies is not affiliated with any party. Anies had Muhaimin Iskandar as his running mate in the recent presidential race. Muhaimin is the chairman of PKB.

Ridwan Kamil is a member of the Golkar party. The party --known for its yellow color-- is currently discussing whether to nominate Ridwan Kamil for the Jakarta or West Java gubernatorial election. Zulkifli Hasan, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said that it is up to Golkar chair Airlangga Hartarto to decide.

“Well, I once said that Ridwan Kamil would go for the Jakarta election. But Mr. Airlangga wants him to be in West Java. … But Gerindra is also now considering Ridwan Kamil,” Zulkifli said on Thursday.

Gerindra, Golkar, and PAN are all members of the Onward Indonesia Coalition who championed the winning Prabowo Subianto in the February presidential race. Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a senior politician at Gerindra, said his party had recommended Ridwan Kamil’s candidacy for the Jakarta governor position.

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