Megawati Concerned Airlangga Withdraws From Ketum Golkar, Worried About The Fate Of Democracy

Chairman of the PDI-P (PDIP) Megawati Soekarnoputri admitted that she was worried about the steps taken by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto to resign from the position of General Chair of the Golkar Party. This step is said to have very broad implications in the future.

Megawati's concern was conveyed by PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto who was immediately asked to meet the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia after Airlangga declared his resignation on Sunday, August 11.

"So Mrs. Mega expressed concern, and is very concerned about the life of democracy in the future because the implications will also be very broad," Hasto told reporters quoted on Monday, August 12.

Hasto said Airlangga was a great communicator. He even mentioned that many political cooperation had been built.

"So this is very surprising. Because this (still the period, ed) is in the context of simultaneous regional elections and political events that emerged from us (this is, ed) an extraordinary thing that touches the aspect of party sovereignty," explained Hasto.

"And then of course this is a challenge for us as a nation, including for political parties. To truly show sovereignty as a party that carries the mandate of the people, and the party always has a mechanism related to leadership," continued the former member of the DPR RI.

"In the future, the current political conditions should serve as a reminder. It is no exception for PDIPs who already have experience in intervention when the New Order comes to power," said Hasto.

"And when the power character is different in the goal of building democracy, in a situation of challenges that are not easy, such as global problems, challenges in the Middle East, rising food prices, our economic problems, the absence of legal supremacy, we are worried that it will have an unfavorable impact, including in our national economy," he said.

However, Hasto emphasized that his party did not interfere in the affairs of other parties. "As a political party, the PDI-P does not interfere with the households of other political parties. But of course what happened was very surprising. We are concerned because we can also feel the spiritual atmosphere behind it," he concluded.