By: : Joko Aristanto *)
Being on 85th in the list of 100 richest people in Asia makes Sandiaga Uno, The Candidate of Vice President who was partnered by Prabowo Subianto was used to living in luxury. Sandiaga Uno, which is famous for its wealth, is then highlighted by the public. Can Sandiaga Uno mingle with the common people in the lead later? Or is he the vice president who is anti-poor? All of that is still a question in the hearts of the Indonesian people ahead of the 2019 Presidential Election.
Naturally they questioned Sandi’s attitude later. Because, people still really hope to have a populist leader. His wealth of 500 million US dollars, or around Rp 7.2 trillion, is feared unable to become a populist leader, given the pattern of his luxurious life so far.
In addition, it is feared that this wealth also makes him anti-poor and makes a gap between himself and the people he leads. In fact, the role of the leader must be close to the people he leads. Not enough about that, the people were also worried that Sandi’s leadership would only be for entrepreneurs and high social groups. In fact, people are usually the ones who really need attention from the leader.
How Sandi’s attitude later when leading is indeed still a puzzle, moreover his expertise in leadership has not been well proven. This can be seen in his tenure as Deputy Governor of DKI, which he has not maximally worked on. In fact, before completing the Vice President Candidate number 2, he chose to quit and run for the vice presidential nominee. So, the people did not really understand how the leadership style of Sandiaga Uno at that time.
The Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta for the period of 2017 – 2022 is also in the spotlight because it is considered still incomplete in carrying out its programs with Anies Baswedan. Therefore, many people consider themselves more suitable to be entrepreneurs because of their success in the business field, rather than their success in the fields of politics and leadership.
Spreading from the public opinion, Prabowo also received an assessment from the community. He was considered to hold Sandi because of the wealth of Passwords that was enough to support the costs to be incurred in the upcoming Presidential Election. Considering the cost of the Presidential Election does not start from planning, campaigning and so on.
Therefore, Prabowo’s intelligence in cooperating with Sandi is considered appropriate considering that Prabowo’s wealth is not much compared to the wealth of Sandiaga Uno who is known for old money, or who has been born rich.
Instead of talking about the wealth of Prabowo and Sandiaga Uno, the public highlights them both from various angles. Obviously, among them mutual benefit from the parties – his side. How can this be considered? This can be seen from Prabowo’s strong attitude in choosing Sandi as his partner because he is considered rich and able to cover the costs of the Presidential Election. While Sandi earned a profit from Prabowo because Prabowo was considered to have quite high popularity in the political field. Like biology lessons, they use a system of symbiotic mutualism. Mutual benefit from each other.
I do not know what their way of doing their efforts to achieve victory in the upcoming presidential election, but the public spotlight is still limited to the wealth they have. Not the leadership that they managed to achieve. The reason is that Sandi came from businessmen who later emerged as politicians, so that the community was considered inadequate in carrying out their duties as deputy head of state. Just being a deputy governor has not been proven to be a trust, how to become a deputy head of state?
Moreover, the lifestyle of a flashy password is considered far from the word populist. This then became more of a concern for the public if Sandiaga Uno led Indonesia in his bourgeois style. While the people he leads are some of the lower middle class.
Recorded in the application of the report on wealth management of the state, Sandiaga Uno has very many assets. Ranging from land, buildings to cash deposits. 15 locations of land and buildings were recorded as his wealth. For the laity, this value is fantastic. Can’t even imagine how much if cashed. This is considered a gap. If the community says, “We with the password are jomplang.” Jomplang which is meant is not balanced. Like the sky with earth.
Therefore, the community really hopes that Prabowo and Sandi will be able to see the earth which they have been following for the future. If not, then the people will be shattered – just step on. Whereas they continue to triumph at the focal point as the sky or boss without wanting to see the suffering of the people who stand on. Because, luxurious living habits sometimes make someone reluctant to look into the suffering of others.
That is the opinion issued by the small community regarding the future leadership of Prabowo and Sandiaga Uno. Even though it is still a puzzle, but they have been able to predict because of their luxurious lifestyles that are deemed inclined to be ignorant of the poor.
*) The author is an observer of social political issues.