Didi Muliadi..from a kite vendor to a potential contender for Indonesia's presidency

The political career of Didi Moliadi, a former taxi motorcyclist and kite salesman, saw a meteoric rise thanks to his extensive use of social media, which helped him Building a close relationship with voters who see him as a "man of the people" and demand that he run for the presidency of Indonesia, according to the Financial Times.

Although the 55-year-old has been running the country's most populous province for just 19 months, he has become the preferred choice for Indonesians to head the country in many of recent polls, far outperforming incumbent President Prabowo Subianto, who is facing a decline in popularity.

Kang, which means Big Brother in Sundanese, publishes videos of his daily activities, explaining policies and answering complaints.

Molyadi, known by the acronym (kdm), is shown chatting with the general public in markets and restaurants, and distributing cash to those in need.

“His intense activity on social media, coupled with his personality is in stark contrast to that of Prabowo,” says Kennedy Musallam, an analyst at the pollster Indictor Politic. with elitism and his popularity is increasingly declining, he has boosted his popularity. ”

His activism on social media has earned him the nickname “content ruler,” as his critics see him as focusing on the digital content industry rather than governance and management tasks.

However, his humble background and social media sympathies have been well received by Indonesians, who are increasingly struggling to make ends meet.

An SMRC poll in July showed Didi's support for the presidency at 35%, more than double Prabowo's 14.5% support, and far ahead of other politicians. Conducting a direct competition between them, the poll showed that 59% would vote for Didi, compared to only 28.3% for Prabowo.

Since Indonesia began directly electing its presidents in 2004, Prabowo has been the first president to fall in popularity during his first two years in office, according to three pollsters interviewed by the Times. "Financial Times".

“Prabowo is the weakest president in office we've seen,” said Denny Iravani, executive director of the SMRC Polling Center, adding that Didi's popularity, unusual for a regional official, extended beyond The boundaries of West Java Province.

“The level of awareness of its existence is immense; about 90% of Indonesians know Didi… largely because of the intense promotion of its daily activities and its communication with people via social media,” Iravani added. The public's general impression of being a sympathetic person is what makes them likable. ”

In Bandung, the capital of West Java province, Didi's popularity is evident.

“He's a very good human being,” says Rati, 60, who follows YouTube daily in search of new content for Didi. To me, he's like an angel walking the earth. ”

Didi, a law school graduate, has an online image that is in stark contrast to that of Prabowo; though Prabowo employed social media brilliantly for electoral gains in the 2024 election. Known as the “dancing grandfather,” he is, for many, a model for the Indonesian elite.

Prabowo, a former general, has been involved in Indonesian politics for nearly three decades, after a 28-year military career.

Although the general election is still 3 years away, the growing decline in Prabowo's popularity, caused by his administration's mistakes in major policies, stock market sell-offs, and devaluation The local currency provided an opportunity for rivals to win the support of the country's 200 million voters.

Jaya Hannan, from Lembaga Survei Indonesia, said: “When people are disappointed with a national leader, they are looking for the opposite or an alternative. And in the eyes of the audience, Didi embodies This alternative

“Didi interacts directly with the community on a daily basis, while Prabowo tends to deliver speeches from official platforms. Didi is also willing to acknowledge problems and acknowledge shortcomings, in When Prabowo never admits any mistakes. "

However, Didi also stirred controversy. Last year, he called for problematic children to be sent to military barracks, and for low-income men to be required to undergo sterilization (cutting vas deferens) before receiving government assistance.

In Bandung, Rati regrets voting for Prabowo, who she says has failed to implement his policies.

“Prabowo talks a lot, but without tangible results on the ground,” says Ratti. In contrast, we find KDM… he talks, but he actually correlates the saying, ”expressing support for his endeavors to Clear streets of unlicensed street vendors.

However, success in the election is by no means guaranteed.

If Didi decides to run, he may have to look for another party to support his candidacy, as he belongs to the same party as Prabowo, 74, who has expressed his willingness to run for a second term.

Didi's record may also be subject to further scrutiny.

His popular policies include a plan to clear streets of stalls and illegal buildings, and a temporary moratorium on the issuance of residential building permits in disaster-prone areas.

During his tenure as Governor of the Borouakarta region for 10 years, he was widely praised for improving public facilities. West Java is the most populous province in the country, and one of the centers of manufacturing, which could leave them vulnerable to job losses as the economy comes under increasing pressure.

“If he intends to run, it won't be enough to focus on his personal side; the public will ultimately judge him based on his policies,” said Denny, of SMRC.

Didi did not comment on the polls, nor did he publicly express any interest in running for president. His office did not respond to requests by the Financial Times for comment or an interview.

He also rarely commented on Prabowo's policies. Last year, he called for a halt to the free meals program, a hallmark of Prabowo's policies, after hundreds of students in West Java were injured food poisoning.

In response to questions about the polls, the State Communications Agency said Prabowo remains focused on fulfilling the mandate given to him during his current term, rather than being preoccupied with the calculations or debates over future presidential elections.

Didi appears to be intensifying his efforts to strengthen his presence at the national level. In August, he visited a county hit by an earthquake on Flores Island, even before Prabowo did.

In a video that Didi posted on social media, he was shown distributing bundles of cash to one of those affected, who appeared to cry as he thanked the governor.

For many Indonesians, there is little doubt that Didi represents a credible alternative to Prabowo.

In the city of Bandung, street vendor Gemma Mahendra said Prabowo's policies and the way they were implemented were “always at odds with society,” asserting that he would vote for Didi if the governor decided to run for president.

He added: “He often goes out on the streets to meet people; he is kind and offers solutions. I think he's capable of it.”