Prabowo Manuver Ahead Of The 2024 Presidential Election, Visits Retired TNI To Mahfud MD In A Day

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD and Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto. (Photo: Documentation of Defense Minister Prabowo)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Defense and General Chair of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo Subianto, conducted a gathering on Eid by visiting the residence of retired TNI and ministers in the Joko Widodo government in one day on Tuesday, April 25, yesterday. Prabowo's gathering was then referred to as a political maneuver ahead of the 2024 presidential election, especially since the PDI-P has announced Ganjar Pranowo as the presidential candidate for the H-1 Eid Al-Fitr holiday. In addition, Prabowo also visited the residence of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, who was later predicted to be a candidate for vice president (cawapres) of the Republic of Indonesia. The two also held a closed meeting that allegedly discussed the issue of the 2024 presidential election. Prabowo's activity yesterday began with a pilgrimage to his father's grave, an economic champion Soemitro Djojohadikusumo at the Karet Bivak TPU, Central Jakarta. Followed by visiting his senior, US Admiral TNI (Ret.) Widodo at his residence in Kelapa Gading, Jakarta. Prabowo even saluted and kissed the hands of the commander of the TNI for the 1999-2002 period who was also the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs for the 2004-2009 period. Apart from US Widodo, Prabowo also visited Agum Gumelar's residence at the Polim Commander and AM Hendropriyono in Patal Senayan, South Jakarta. Eid al-Fitr gathering Prabowo then continued to the house of the 6th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Try Sutrisno in Menteng, Central Jakarta. Try Sutrisno said Prabowo was a person who understood the needs of the Indonesian people. "I ordered that if he wants to continue to participate in this election, let alone nominate as president, I ordered Pak Prabowo to be a person who has been fighting for a long time, understand what all Indonesian people need," said Try. Not only that, Prabowo also visited the residence of the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres), Wiranto in the Mampang area, South Jakarta. Wiranto assessed that Prabowo is a presidential candidate who understands the nation's and geopolitical issues. Most of the spotlight, when Prabowo visited the official residence of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD on Jalan Denpasar, Kuningan, South Jakarta. Prabowo also directly invited Mahfud MD to come to Hambalang. "I asked him to give tausiah in Hambalang," said Prabowo. However, the two of them were united not to comment on the presidential election. According to him, the visit was only a gathering on Eid al-Fitr.

Prabowo also did the same when he visited the official residence of the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy. Muhadjir was also invited to Hambalang.