JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Oesman Sapta Odang, 64, won the nomination for becoming the new Speaker of the 2014-2019 People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) in a voting conducted by members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) on Monday (Oct. 6) evening.
Oesman secured 67 votes, while two other closest contenders, Andi Mapetahang Fatwa and Akhmad Muqowam, only got 14 votes respectively.
With the results, DPD will nominate Oesman, the owner of the OSO Group, as the Speaker candidate of the MPR in the election of the MPR Speakership today.
Oesman reportedly will be included in a package of candidates of the MPR Speakership proposed by a coalition of political parties affiliated to President-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The coalition comprises four factions of political parties (PDI-P, PKB, Nasdem, and Hanura).
On the other side, the coalition affiliated to the losing president candidate Prabowo Subianto will also propose another package of candidates of the MPR Speakership. The coalition, known as the Red-and-White coalition, consists of six factions of political parties (Gerindra, Golkar, Democratic Party, PAN, PKS, and PPP).
But PPP is still uncertain and might jump ship into Jokowi’s coalition following recent conflict with members of the Red-and-White coalition related to the election of the MPR Speakership. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)