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Hello reader,

President Prabowo seems to be one of the biggest winners of this year’s regional elections (Pilkada), with his coalition securing some of the nation’s biggest provinces bar Jakarta.

The city-province is going to Pramono Anung of the PDI-P. Judging by the latest official count, there won’t be a run-off election against Ridwan Kamil for the megalopolis.

Jump below for a round-up of the biggest elections from yesterday, including notable highlight wins and losses.

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics

• Pramono Anung declared victory in Jakarta's gubernatorial race after the General Election Commision’s (KPU) “real count” results today showed them securing 50.07% of the votes, which translates to nearly 2.2 million Jakartans. If confirmed, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, along with his running mate Rano Karno, will secure the election in just one round of voting, surpassing the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff. Early favorite Ridwan Kamil, previously West Java governor, was more than 10 points behind as he secured 39.39% of the votes.

• Though President Prabowo Subianto’s government coalition failed to win in Jakarta, they had a very satisfactory Pilkada overall having secured the country’s most populous provinces like West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi and North Sumatra, according to “quick count” results. The winners in these provinces, as well as other key regions where the coalition won, also received direct endorsements from former President Joko Widodo, signaling his and Prabowo’s dominance in Indonesian politics even against traditionally large parties like PDI-P.

• Despite having faced a misogynistic campaign in Aceh, where sharia law is enforced, the numbers show that Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal will be the next mayor of the province’s capital of Banda Aceh. Illiza, who was deputy mayor of Banda Aceh, stepped up to become mayor between 2014-2017 following the death of Mawardy Nurdin. She lost the mayoral election in 2017, citing widespread belief in the province that it’s haram (forbidden) for women to become leaders.

• Another politician in the Pilkada limelight is Agustina Wilujeng, who is comfortably leading the count in the mayoral race in Semarang, Central Java. Agustina has been described as a “triple minority” in Indonesian politics, being a Christian woman of Chinese descent. As a PDI-P politician, her victory is also seen as crucial for the party in its previous stronghold of Central Java, after its candidate, former military general Andika Permana, lost the gubernatorial election to former police general Ahmad Luthfi.

• In North Maluku, Sherly Tjoanda, who is described as another “triple minority” politician, has all but won the province’s gubernatorial race. Sherly has had a tragic path to victory, as she filled in for her late husband Benny Laos, who died in a boat accident while campaigning for North Maluku governor on October 12.

• The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faced losses in its traditional strongholds, including Depok, West Java, and Jakarta. Party leaders believe the party has lost some of its sheen, but are confident that it will regain its popularity. Analysts believe a lot of PKS followers became disillusioned with the party after it decided to align with President Prabowo’s coalition instead of standing in opposition to him.

Business/Economy

• National Economy Council Chairman Luhut Pandjaitan announced the postponement of the planned value-added tax (VAT) increase from 11% to 12% by a few months. Originally planned to take effect on January 1, 2025, Luhut said the government must first finalize economic stimuli for lower income citizens amid a general weakening in the public’s purchasing power.

• The House of Representatives (DPR) is throwing support behind a new tax amnesty program next year as a means to boost state revenue with the planned delay of the VAT hike. The program encourages taxpayers to disclose hidden assets with reduced penalties, aiming to improve compliance and generate additional funds for President Prabowo’s grand welfare projects.

• Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia indicated that ride-hailing drivers might not qualify for fuel subsidies under the revised criteria. The statement has sparked concerns among drivers who rely on subsidies to mitigate rising fuel costs. Bahlil said the government is still deciding who should be entitled to fuel subsidies.

• The government plans to allocate 8 million hectares of land to agriculture as part of President Prabowo’s ambitious push for food security. This initiative includes supporting free meal programs and reducing reliance on food imports.

Everything Else

• A recent survey conducted by the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry and British Council Indonesia highlighted Surabaya as the most English-proficient city in Indonesia, surpassing Jakarta and other major urban centers. Among demographic groups, men scored higher than women in English proficiency tests, while people aged 26-30 came out on top, with 18-20-year-olds scoring lowest.