After Supporting Prabowo, Gerindra Opens Doors For Budiman Sudjatmiko

Chairman of the Gerindra Party Prabowo Subianto (left) together with PDI-P cadre Budiman Sudjatmiko during the Declaration of Volunteers Prabowo-Budiman Bersatu in Semarang, Central Java, Friday. (ANTARA/I. C. Senjaya)

JAKARTA - The Gerindra Party opened the door for PDIP politician Budiman Sudjatmiko if he wanted to join after supporting Prabowo Subianto's presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election. The support was given after Budiman signed the declaration of the Prabowo-Budiman (Prabu) volunteers in Semarang, last Friday.

"The Gerindra Party of the party is open, can accept anyone. The important thing is to accept everything we have decided. Both the articles of association, household budgets, presidential candidates, manifesto struggles and so on," said Secretary General of the Gerindra Party, Ahmad Muzani in Jakarta, Saturday, August 19.

According to Muzani, Budiman is an activist figure who inspires and has high integrity.

"Budiman is an activist figure who in my opinion is very inspiring, a person who was once a symbol of resistance during the New Order era, a young figure, an activist who has high integrity abilities and levels. So for us, it is an important figure to inspire us all," he said. Regarding the declaration of volunteers in Central Java whose incident is a bull cage, Muzani considered it just a coincidence. Because Budiman came from Cilacap, Central Java.

"Because Mas Budiman is from Central Java, a Cilacap person. I think it just happened there," said Muzani.

Previously, PDIP politician Budiman Sudjatmiko and Gerindra Party President Prabowo Subianto officially declared the volunteers Prabowo-Budiman Bersatu (Prabu) in Semarang, Central Java, Friday, August 18. The declaration was marked by the signing and wearing a jacket to each other.

In his speech, Budiman admitted that he was a person who dared to take any risks. Including supporting Prabowo to run as a presidential candidate even though his party supports Ganjar Pranowo. "Today I say Budiman Sudjatmiko wants to entrust Pak Prabowo Subianto if God willing, Pak Prabowo will become the 8th President of Indonesia. Please advance public welfare by developing a cooperative to develop, BUMDes, increase social security. Please smarten the nation's life by developing science and technology," Budiman said during a volunteer declaration in Semarang, Friday, August 18.

Even Budiman also admitted that he was inspired by Prabowo after reading the book Paradox Indonesia which was given and written directly by the former Danjen Kopassus.

"In the past, we had to have something different, but after 25 years I was inspired after I read the book Paradox Indonesia given by Pak Prabowo and written by Pak Prabowo," he said.