Gerindra to Evaluate Presidential Candidate Announcement in Response to PKB’s Ultimatum

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Daily Chairperson of the Gerindra Party DPP Sufmi Dasco Ahmad responded to the statement by Deputy Chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Jazilul Fawaid regarding pressure for the couple presidential candidate and the cawapres of the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KKIR) at the end of this month. In fact, Jazilul also issued an ultimatum to evaluate their position in the coalition.

Dasco said his party would conduct an internal evaluation at Gerindra regarding the announcement of the presidential and vice presidential candidates. “And of course we receive the input and evaluate it together,” he said, Thursday 8 June 2023.

He said Jazilul’s statement was not a threat but input for Gerindra. “I think what Mr. Jazilul said was not also a threat because it was an input,” said Dasco.

Dasco also emphasized that the steps to determine the presidential and vice presidential candidates to be announced would be carried out in coordination with PKB, as was the case with the political cooperation agreement that had been jointly signed between PKB and Gerindra Party. “Of course those steps will be taken jointly by Gerindra and PKB, we will coordinate, and always coordinate with PKB,” he said.

Jazilul Fawaid previously said that PKB would likely evaluate their position in the KIR if the presidential-cawapres pair was not determined by the end of this month. “If it’s not (announced) then I think it’s better to neutralize PKB again so we can think more rationally, evaluate it,” said Jazilul at the parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, last Wednesday.

Advertising

Advertising

He stated that his party received input from figures and kiai so that the KIR presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs would be announced in June.

“I also received a lot of input from several figures and clerics in PKB, clerics, so please just make a decision right away, suggest to Pak Muhaimin ‘Please decide in June’,” he said.

Ulama ask for presidential and vice presidential candidates before Ramadhan

Jazilul considered that the input from the figures and kiai was reasonable because they had previously given an ultimatum so that the presidential and vice presidential candidates for KIR would be announced before the month of Ramadan 1444 Hijriah.

“It’s only natural that the figure told me, Mr. Jazilul told Mr. Muhaimin that in this good month, in the month of Eid al-Adha (announced). Yesterday (May) was Eid al-Fitr, if not (announced) just evaluate it,” he said.

Gerindra and PKB have so far agreed to nominate Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate. PKB they have even put forward the name of their chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar, as vice presidential candidate.

However, it seems that this proposal has not been approved by Gerindra. Earlier this week, the party bearing the eagle’s head instead established communication with the National Mandate Party, which put forward the name of BUMN Minister Erick Thohir as Prabowo Subianto’s running mate.

Editor’s Choice: NasDem and PKB Compact Call MK Acting Outside of Authority if Decides Closed Proportional System