Respect PKB's Decision To Join NasDem To Promote Anies-Cak Imin's Duet, Gerindra: Happy Fight

JAKARTA - The Gerindra Party respects the decision of the National Awakening Party (PKB) which no longer supports General Chair Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate (candidate) in the 2024 presidential election.

This was conveyed by the Daily Chair of the Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, responding to the latest political dynamics. He said, the PKB decision chose to cooperate with the NasDem Party and carry the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) pair as well as the name change of the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KKIR) to the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM).

As is known, on August 13, the Gerindra Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB) received the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) to support Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate in 2024.

Dasco said, in practice, political cooperation between the Gerindra Party and PKB has not changed, especially in terms of determining the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Because both the Golkar Party and PAN handed over the vice presidential election entirely to Prabowo Subianto.

Dasco explained that the naming of the Forward Indonesia Coalition occurred spontaneously at the PAN Anniversary celebration at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta, Tuesday, August 29. This is because Prabowo saw an addition of two parties in the coalition, namely PAN and Golkar, and the United Nations, so that it was named the Advanced Indonesia Coalition.

"After previously Mr. Prabowo briefly informed and asked Pak Airlangga for approval of the name of the Forward Indonesian Coalition, and Mr. Zulkifli Hasan and Mr. Yusril Iza Mahendra also to Mr. Muhaimin who came a little late. And at that time Mr. Muhaimin did not express his objection to the naming of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition," he explained.

The new name for the coalition, continued Dasco, is because all coalition parties are part of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet which together aims to continue President Jokowi's program.

"So the name selection was immediately announced when the remarks came from Pak Prabowo," he said.

Dasco emphasized that naming the Forward Indonesia Coalition does not mean disbanding the political cooperation between Gerindra and PKB, as well as eliminating Cak Imin's rights regarding the determination of the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Because in truth, the name change aims to consolidate the four coalition parties.

"Even in his speech, Pak Prabowo conveyed that the matter of the vice president will be discussed together by deliberating consensus, and in particular it will be discussed with Pak Muhaimin," said Dasco.

Dasco revealed that the Gerindra Party had never responded to the statements of the elite PKB or Cak Imin as the General Chair of the PKB who felt they had never been informed about the name of the new coalition. Or considering that KKIR was dissolved because there was a new coalition name to maintain the solidity of the coalition.

"However, we explicitly state that Gerindra will never violate the written agreement between Gerindra and PKB, and we will never betray and leave friends in arms," said Dasco.

Dasco stated that the decision that had been taken by PKB was to accept political cooperation with NasDem to carry Anies Baswedan-Cak Imin, so it automatically caused Gerindra and PKB political cooperation to end or the KKIR coalition to disband by itself.

"In principle, we respect, wish you a good luck, and invite together to maintain the climate of the upcoming elections coolly and peacefully, so that the 2024 elections run safely and smoothly," said Dasco.