FAJAR.CO.ID, SURABAYA — The inclusion of National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) could change Anies Baswedan’s image pattern as a presidential candidate.
This was explained by Airlangga University (Unair) Surabaya Political Observer Airlangga Pribadi Kusman.
“With the entry of Cak Imin, who is the general chairman of the party supporting President Joko Widodo as a vice presidential candidate (cawapres) to the Anies Baswedan coalition, it will change the image of the coalition,” Airlangga said in Surabaya, quoted by Fajar (Jawa Pos Group), on Saturday ( 2/9).
He considered that Cak Imin’s entry into the Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP) would create an internal polemic. This is because Anies’ supporters appear to be militant, in contrast to PKB, which appears to be close to the government.
“This means that there must be political effort from the internal party to harmonize the political direction that the candidate is carrying,” he said.
Airlangga assessed that PKB was quite strong in East Java, even though Cak Imin’s figure did not yet have strong enough appeal to constituents, especially Nahdliyin residents.
“The ability to boost is determined by internal adjustments in the pair. Supporters must adjust, when the main strength of the cawapres party and the political character and supporters are not contradictory to Jokowi. That ability is what determines,” he added.
Meanwhile, the emergence of Cak Imin created quite a hard conflict from the Democratic party which had so far paired Anies Baswedan and Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY).
“Democrats could cross paths with Ganjar Pranowo or Prabowo Subianto. If not, the severity of today’s statement will only be temporary. In the end, they must adjust to political realities,” he said. (JPC)
