Feeling Betrayed, Democrats Will Lower Billboards With Anies Baswedan's Picture

JAKARTA - The Democrat Party will field billboards with a picture of the prospective presidential candidate for the Change Coalition for Unity (KPP), Anies Baswedan, which has been installed in various locations.

This step was taken after news that Anies had agreed to be paired with the General Chairperson of the PKB, Muhaimin Iskandar alias Cak Imin for the collaboration between NasDem and PKB.

"Yes, we will deploy it," said member of the Democratic Party's High Council, Syarief Hasan when confirmed, Thursday, August 31, evening.

The party led by Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) felt that Anies betrayed the commitments that had been built previously. In fact, the Democrats claimed to be forced to approve the Anies-Cak Imin pair by NasDem.

"Because they betrayed the Democrats," he added.

Previously, the Secretary General of Democrats Teuku Riefky Harsya revealed that the moment Cak Imin was appointed as the vice presidential candidate for Anies Baswedan, which was taken unilaterally by the Head of NasDem, Surya Paloh.

Riefky admitted that his party was surprised because the process of finalizing the coalition cooperation was changed suddenly.

"Something unexpected and hard to believe happened. In the middle of the process of finalizing the work of coalition political parties with the presidential candidate Anies and preparing for the declaration, suddenly there was a fundamental and surprising change," Riefky said in his statement, Thursday, August 31.

"On Tuesday night, August 29, 2023, at NasDem Tower, unilaterally the General Chairperson of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, suddenly appointed PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar as the vice presidential candidate for Anies, without the knowledge of the Democratic Party and PKS," he added.

Riefky said Anies was summoned that night by Surya Paloh to accept the decision. Even so, Riefky said Anies only sent Sudirman, his spokesman, to convey the important decision to the Democrats and PKS.

"That same night, Anies' presidential candidate was summoned by Surya Paloh to accept the decision. A day later, August 30, 2023, Anies' presidential candidate in this very important matter did not convey directly to the highest leadership of PKS and the Democratic Party, but first sent Sudirman Said to convey it," said Riefky.