Prabowo's Attitude When Entering The Istiqlal Mosque: Can't Talk About Politics, Can Be Embedded

Prabowo Subianto/ Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto was reluctant to discuss and answer questions from media crews regarding politics when he attended a gathering with the Indonesian Mosque Youth Youth Communication Agency (BKPRMI) and the World of Malays in the Islamic World (DMDI) at the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Thursday, May 18.

"You can't talk about politics here (mosques, ed.)," Prabowo Subianto said in response to reporters who chased him to the Istiqlal Mosque VVIP Lobby, Thursday, May 18.

Some of the media that chased Prabowo wanted to ask for his comments regarding the political coalition and the future vice presidential candidate (cawapres). Even though Prabowo was no longer in the mosque building at that time, he refused to answer questions related to politics and issues regarding the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres).

"(This) is still in the area (mosque). It's not allowed, later I'll be embedded," said Prabowo.

Prabowo is currently a presidential candidate from the party he leads, Gerindra, and the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KKIR).

The coalition so far still consists of Gerindra and the National Awakening Party (PKB). Possibly, the coalition will have a new member, namely the Crescent Star Party. However, KKIR and the United Nations have not provided an official statement regarding the issue.

UN Secretary General (Sekjen) Afriansyah Noor when met at the KPU Office, Jakarta, last Saturday (13/5), said that the party chairman, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, had discussed this possibility when meeting with Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto in Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra last month.

"God willing, we will agree how to build Indonesia," said Afriansyah Noor.

Registration for presidential and vice presidential candidates is scheduled to take place from 19 October 2023 to 25 November 2023.

Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections (UU Pemilu) regulates that pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates are proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in elections that meet the requirements for obtaining seats of at least 20 percent of the total seats in the DPR or obtaining 25 percent of valid votes nationally in the previous election for members of the DPR.

Currently, there are 575 seats in parliament so that pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election must have at least 115 seats in support from the Indonesian House of Representatives. Candidate pairs can also be promoted by political parties or a combination of political parties participating in the 2019 Election, with a total valid vote acquisition of at least 34,992,703 votes.