Indonesia Elections 2024: No first lady? Frontrunner Prabowo’s single status turns spotlight on ‘state’s mother’ role

JAKARTA: For almost 50 years, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta has been a well-known tourist attraction.

Covered with lush trees, the 150ha cultural recreational park is a miniature replica of Indonesia where visitors can learn about the traditions and culture of the country. 

It was initiated in 1975 by Mdm Tien Suharto, wife of Indonesia’s second and longest serving president Suharto. 

The park is often dubbed as her legacy. During the 1980s and 1990s when there were still limited museums and amusement parks in Indonesia, it became the place to go for students to learn about the archipelago.

The future of the park was left in limbo after the 1998 fall of Suharto, but it underwent a renovation in January 2022 and was reopened in November that year.

“I have been here before but this has just undergone a renovation and it is even nicer,” said visitor 45-year-old Mdm Kulsum, who goes by one name, when CNA met her at the park at the end of January. 

Indonesia’s first ladies have left not just a physical, but also a cultural mark on the country’s landscape. As the archipelago gears up for legislative and presidential elections on Feb 14, eyes are not only on those running, but also their relationship status.

The three presidential candidates are former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo. 

However, unlike Mr Anies and Mr Ganjar, frontrunner Mr Prabowo is single. 

He is currently leading in most polls with an electability rating of about 48 per cent while Mr Anies and Mr Ganjar are trailing behind at around 24 and 21 per cent respectively, according to Indonesian research institute Indikator Politik Indonesia.

This raises the possibility that, for the first time in history, Indonesia will not have a first lady, should Mr Prabowo become the nation's eighth president.

THE ROLE OF A FIRST LADY

The role of a first lady, or “ibu negara” in Indonesian, which translates as the state’s mother or woman, is not defined by the Indonesian constitution. 

However, a first lady can play a significant role in certain areas of state affairs which cannot always be covered by a president, said Mr Feri Amsari, a constitutional law expert with Padang’s Andalas University.

“For example, Mdm Tien Suharto, and Mdm Ani Yudhoyono, the wife of sixth president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were ... just like an empress or queen in a kingdom,” said Mr Feri.

Mdm Tien initiated the establishment of Indonesia's first hospital for cancer patients. Mdm Ani was once the deputy head of her husband's political party, the Democrat Party.

A first lady can have several roles, said Mdm Athiqah Nur Alami, a researcher at Research Centre for Politics with the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). 

The president’s partner is usually their companion during domestic or overseas trips.

“Having the first lady accompanying the president can improve or boost the president's image and credibility,” said Mdm Athiqah.

When she goes abroad, the first lady would be involved in cultural diplomacy, and take part in social activities.

“We’ve also seen instances where the first lady replaces the president in activities which are non-political ones like ceremonial events such as inauguration of schools and charity works,” said Mdm Athiqah. 

The first lady would then serve as a motivator, trying to find out the concerns of the people while supporting them to play an active role in society, she noted. 

“The initiatives of a first lady, even though at times may seem small, can be supportful for marginalised groups,” political analyst Yoes Kenawas from Jakarta’s Atma Jaya University told CNA.

He said that a first lady can advocate for sometimes overlooked groups such as women and people with special needs. 

Since Indonesia’s independence in 1945, the country has had several first ladies. 

Mdm Fatmawati Sukarno, wife of Indonesia’s inaugural president Sukarno, sewed the country’s first flag. 

Mdm Ainun Habibie, wife of third president BJ Habibie who was in power for just over a year, served as the chairwoman of the non-profit organisation Indonesian eye bank.

Wife of Indonesia’s fourth president Abdurrahman Wahid, Mdm Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, is an active advocate of religious and racial pluralism.

When the country was led by fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri between 2001 to 2004, Indonesia did not have a first lady but a first man, or “bapak negara” in Indonesian, which means the state’s father or man. 

Her politician husband Mr Taufiq Kiemas was by Megawati's side when she established current ruling party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in the late 90s. Like first ladies before him, he accompanied her during bilateral meetings, and was widely well-perceived by the public. 

He became the speaker of the people’s consultative assembly a few years after Mdm Megawati stepped down from power.

Mdm Ani Yudhoyono was concerned about children’s education and had a fondness for photography. She established Mobil Pintar or smart car, a mobile library for children.

Mdm Iriana Joko Widodo, wife of outgoing president Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, has largely been in the background during her husband’s two-term leadership.

However, in November 2023, local investigative media outlet Tempo reported that Mdm Iriana masterminded the vice-presidential candidacy of her son Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is now Mr Prabowo's running mate.  

Mr Gibran, 36, was initially too young to run as the law stipulated a candidate must be at least 40 years old. But a constitutional court ruling headed by Jokowi's brother-in-law, Mr Anwar Usman, expanded the candidacy requirements for presidential and vice presidential hopefuls, making it eligible for Mr Gibran to run.

Local media has sought clarification, but Mdm Iriana has remained tight-lipped. 

Though every first lady is unique, one thing that unites them is they tend to be a supporting figure on the sidelines, according to Mr Yoes. 

He opined only Mdm Tien has had a strong active role in Indonesia’s history.

“She was full of controversies as some questioned her activities even though she was also active in promoting an integrated healthcare centre for children,” said Mr Yoes about Mdm Tien’s 29 years as first lady. She passed away in 1996 during her husband’s presidency. 

Her husband Suharto ruled with an iron fist for more than 30 years between 1967 to 1998. He resigned after violent nationwide protests demanded he step down. 

Mdm Tien was linked to scandal regarding the use of state funds for social and humanitarian projects controlled by their family during her husband's presidency.

A FUTURE WITHOUT A FIRST LADY? 

Although the role of a first lady is largely symbolic, people CNA interviewed tended to think Indonesia must have one. 

“Indonesia must have a first lady because without one, everything can be chaotic,” said Mdm Kulsum who hails from Bogor. 

She believes a first lady works closely with her husband and this includes managing his daily routines or looking after his health.

“A first lady can inspire other women, so there must be one,” she asserted.    

“If there is no first lady, who can accompany the president and be with him to listen to his concerns?” added Palu-based Mdm Iryatul Zahra, 62.

Mr Indra Mulyawan, 56, who works in advertising in Jakarta also thinks it is necessary for Indonesia to have a first lady as a familiar figurehead for the community.

“Even on the lowest level in government, like a village head, the wife of the village head plays a role in society," he said. 

Mdm Athiqah said in patriarchal Indonesian society, people still uphold traditional cultural and family values.

Therefore, having a first lady is important as it is seen as having a mother in the family. 

Presidential frontrunner Mr Prabowo married Suharto's daughter, Mdm Titiek Suharto, in 1983 but they separated some time after the second president's fall from power in 1998.

In the days leading up to Suharto's downfall, Mr Prabowo has said that he was ordered by the then-president to kidnap a number of pro-democracy activists while he was commander of the army's special forces, a move that led to his military dismissal, according to the Jakarta Post. 

So what if Prabowo wins, and the country doesn’t have a first lady? 

“If there is no first lady, when a foreign dignitary visits, there won’t be someone welcoming the spouse of the dignitary,” said Mr Feri. 

“There won’t be someone who would try to approach women groups, minority groups, citizens who must be approached with conscience.” 

Mr Yoes said should Mr Prabowo win, he may ask his former wife Mdm Titiek to accompany him. 

She is a member of Mr Prabowo’s political party Gerindra and on several occassions they have appeared together in public. 

They have a son and Mr Prabowo may also ask his son’s help if needed. 

But Mr Yoes pointed out that Mr Prabowo’s son Mr Didit Hediprasetyo is a fashion designer and may not be too interested in state or political affairs. 

Alternatively, Mr Prabowo can ask his sisters or his niece to help him, or even the wife of the vice president, he surmised.

Mr Prabowo has two elder sisters, Mdm Bianti Djiwandono and Mdm Maryani Djojohadikusumo, who are both in their 70s. His niece, Ms Rahayu Saraswati, 38, is a member of the Gerindra party.  

FIRST LADY POTENTIAL

Mr Prabowo may be a frontrunner, but results are not a dead cert. Many polls have put his electability slightly below the 50 per cent needed to win the race, meaning a second round runoff in June is likely.

And if Mr Anies or Mr Ganjar are victorious, their wives are well-prepared. 

Mdm Fery Farhati, 52, is the wife of Mr Anies.

The mother of four holds a master’s degree in applied family and child studies from Northern Illinois University. She also studied psychology at Yogyakarta’s Gadjah Mada university. 

Since campaigning started at the end of November, she has been actively supporting her husband by accompanying him on various trips around Indonesia. 

She has also gone on the ground in Jakarta and West Java without Mr Anies to introduce parenting programmes and talk shows. 

“It all depends on what we believe is needed. Sometimes, I receive invites, and my team decides where I should go. 

“And if I go with Mr Anies, it usually has something to do with women’s activities,” she told CNA during an interview at her house in Jakarta. 

Mdm Fery didn’t follow a typical career path but she used her experience to write parenting books and create card games on parenting. The books and games were distributed around her local neighbourhoods.

Mdm Siti Atikoh, wife of Mr Ganjar, is equally busy. 

She has been touring Indonesia without her husband since December, and usually meets Mr Ganjar again when they are both in Jakarta or during weekends. 

“I am very happy I can greet a lot of people (on the ground). I receive many aspirations from them,” said the 52-year-old who has one son. 

“There are still a lot of real problems that exist in society that we need to solve quickly,” she told CNA during a visit to volunteer groups in Jakarta. 

She noted that the usual problems she encounters are farmers complaining about the lack of fertilisers, housewives complaining about the price spike in basic necessities and people complaining about lack of jobs. 

A former journalist and master’s degree holder in public policy from the University of Tokyo, Mdm Atikoh, who often goes by her second name, was a Jakarta civil servant until moving to Central Java to accompany Mr Ganjar who became the governor of the province from 2013 to 2023.  

Both Mdm Fery and Mdm Atikoh come from different backgrounds and have their own ideas of what kind of first lady they want to be should their husband be the next president.

"I want to continue to have a role at home as a mother who holds the family members together, and then also to be Mr Anies's best friend and his companion,” said Mdm Fery.

"But on the other hand, I also want to take advantage of the privilege of a first lady as she is someone who is in the spotlight. I want to raise issues that are problematic and in line with my interests.”

She said this includes focusing on the welfare of families and empowering women.

Meanwhile, Mdm Atikoh has her own visions on what the country can learn from a future first lady.

“First of all, I want to be a mother (to the nation). A mother is always present when her child is in need, always listens. I want to empower people not by giving them the fish but by teaching them how to fish,” said Mdm Atikoh.

Mr Feri concluded that having a first lady is not a requisite, but something the country has become used to. He said that the Indonesian constitution does not require the country to have a first lady.

"But it is unusual not to have one."