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Solo Gang
The Solo Gang (Indonesian: Geng Solo) refers to Indonesian police and military officers active in the city of Surakarta (Solo being the informal name for Surakarta) during the mayoralty of Joko Widodo (2005–2012), who were promoted into high-ranking positions during Widodo's presidency. The term initially referred to police officers but expanded to include military officers. The Solo Gang is noted by observers as Joko Widodo's strategy to consolidate his armed forces and police network, particularly before and after elections.
The term was coined in 2019 by Neta Pane, the chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch, in response to the appointment of Nana Sudjana as the police chief of Jakarta. Nana was previously the police chief of Surakarta from 2010 to 2011, while Joko Widodo was in his second term as mayor of the city. Neta stated that Nana's appointment as Jakarta's police chief was due to his relationship with Joko Widodo rather than his merits.
The term originally only covered police officers who served as the police chief of deputy police chief in Surakarta during Joko Widodo's mayoral term. However, after several high-ranking appointments of military officers from Surakarta, the term also covered officers who were the military district commander (Komandan Distrik Militer; Dandim) of Surakarta or the commander of the Adi Soemarmo Airbase (Komandan Pangkalan TNI Angkatan Udara Adi Soemarmo; Danlanud Adi Soemarmo) in Surakarta during Joko Widodo's mayoral term. A notable exception to this is Mohamad Tony Harjono, the air force chief of staff who was identified as a member of the Solo Gang, despite serving in Adi Soemarmo only after Joko Widodo had become president.
The gang is utilized by Joko Widodo as his way of consolidating his armed forces and police network before and after elections. Unlike his predecessors, Joko Widodo has never established a strong connection with either the armed forces or the police. Evidence of such consolidation could be seen in 2015 and 2020, shortly after Joko Widodo's victory in the 2014 Indonesian presidential election and 2019 Indonesian general election. He sent two of Solo Gang members, Bakti Agus Fadjari and Agus Subiyanto to become military commanders in West Sumatra and West Java, the two provinces where Joko Widodo had lost significantly in the election.
A similar pattern could be observed nearing the 2024 Indonesian presidential election, in which Joko Widodo's son Gibran Rakabuming Raka ran as vice president. Joko Widodo assigned his Solo Gang's men to positions in Central Java's (the province with the 3rd largest population in Indonesia) government, military, and police. Nana Sudjana and Ahmad Luthfi, who were the police chief and deputy police chief during Joko Widodo's last years in Surakarta, respectively become the acting governor and police chief of Central Java, while Widi Prasetijono, the military district commander of Surakarta from 2011 to 2012, become the commander of the Central Java regional military command. A report by Kumparan nicknamed them as the "three musketeers".
The police chief of Surakarta is held by a police officer with the rank of grand police commissioner (Komisaris Besar Polisi; Kombes Pol). There had been attempts to undermine the bargaining power of the Solo Gang during the tenure of police chief Idham Azis.
The position of the military district commander of Surakarta is held by an army officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. There are six lieutenant colonels who served as the commander of the Surakarta military district during Joko Widodo's term as mayor. Out of the six officers, five already reached or passed the rank of major general by the end of Joko Widodo's presidential term. A notable exception to this is Sadputro Adi Nugroho, a former Surakarta military district commander who was dishonorably discharged from the military for desertion.
A number of high-ranking military officers were assigned to command the Surakarta (Warastrama) Military Area during Joko Widodo's presidency. These were also identified as members of the Solo Gang. Unlike other military areas in Indonesia which has a brigadier general as its commander, the Surakarta Military Area is commanded by a colonel due to the relative stability of the region. Examples including Maruli Simanjuntak, who become the army chief of staff; Bakti Agus Fadjari, who become the army deputy chief of staff; Deddy Suryadi, who become the commanding-general of Kopassus; Achiruddin and Rafael Granada Baay who become the commander of the Presidential Security Force.
Solo Gang
The Solo Gang (Indonesian: Geng Solo) refers to Indonesian police and military officers active in the city of Surakarta (Solo being the informal name for Surakarta) during the mayoralty of Joko Widodo (2005–2012), who were promoted into high-ranking positions during Widodo's presidency. The term initially referred to police officers but expanded to include military officers. The Solo Gang is noted by observers as Joko Widodo's strategy to consolidate his armed forces and police network, particularly before and after elections.
The term was coined in 2019 by Neta Pane, the chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch, in response to the appointment of Nana Sudjana as the police chief of Jakarta. Nana was previously the police chief of Surakarta from 2010 to 2011, while Joko Widodo was in his second term as mayor of the city. Neta stated that Nana's appointment as Jakarta's police chief was due to his relationship with Joko Widodo rather than his merits.
The term originally only covered police officers who served as the police chief of deputy police chief in Surakarta during Joko Widodo's mayoral term. However, after several high-ranking appointments of military officers from Surakarta, the term also covered officers who were the military district commander (Komandan Distrik Militer; Dandim) of Surakarta or the commander of the Adi Soemarmo Airbase (Komandan Pangkalan TNI Angkatan Udara Adi Soemarmo; Danlanud Adi Soemarmo) in Surakarta during Joko Widodo's mayoral term. A notable exception to this is Mohamad Tony Harjono, the air force chief of staff who was identified as a member of the Solo Gang, despite serving in Adi Soemarmo only after Joko Widodo had become president.
The gang is utilized by Joko Widodo as his way of consolidating his armed forces and police network before and after elections. Unlike his predecessors, Joko Widodo has never established a strong connection with either the armed forces or the police. Evidence of such consolidation could be seen in 2015 and 2020, shortly after Joko Widodo's victory in the 2014 Indonesian presidential election and 2019 Indonesian general election. He sent two of Solo Gang members, Bakti Agus Fadjari and Agus Subiyanto to become military commanders in West Sumatra and West Java, the two provinces where Joko Widodo had lost significantly in the election.
A similar pattern could be observed nearing the 2024 Indonesian presidential election, in which Joko Widodo's son Gibran Rakabuming Raka ran as vice president. Joko Widodo assigned his Solo Gang's men to positions in Central Java's (the province with the 3rd largest population in Indonesia) government, military, and police. Nana Sudjana and Ahmad Luthfi, who were the police chief and deputy police chief during Joko Widodo's last years in Surakarta, respectively become the acting governor and police chief of Central Java, while Widi Prasetijono, the military district commander of Surakarta from 2011 to 2012, become the commander of the Central Java regional military command. A report by Kumparan nicknamed them as the "three musketeers".
The police chief of Surakarta is held by a police officer with the rank of grand police commissioner (Komisaris Besar Polisi; Kombes Pol). There had been attempts to undermine the bargaining power of the Solo Gang during the tenure of police chief Idham Azis.
The position of the military district commander of Surakarta is held by an army officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. There are six lieutenant colonels who served as the commander of the Surakarta military district during Joko Widodo's term as mayor. Out of the six officers, five already reached or passed the rank of major general by the end of Joko Widodo's presidential term. A notable exception to this is Sadputro Adi Nugroho, a former Surakarta military district commander who was dishonorably discharged from the military for desertion.
A number of high-ranking military officers were assigned to command the Surakarta (Warastrama) Military Area during Joko Widodo's presidency. These were also identified as members of the Solo Gang. Unlike other military areas in Indonesia which has a brigadier general as its commander, the Surakarta Military Area is commanded by a colonel due to the relative stability of the region. Examples including Maruli Simanjuntak, who become the army chief of staff; Bakti Agus Fadjari, who become the army deputy chief of staff; Deddy Suryadi, who become the commanding-general of Kopassus; Achiruddin and Rafael Granada Baay who become the commander of the Presidential Security Force.