Democratic Party Chooses Neutral in the 2014 Presidential Election in History Today, May 18, 2014

History today, 12 years ago, May 18, 2014, the General Chair of the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) confirmed that his party chose to be neutral in the 2014 presidential election. SBY revealed that the Democrats did not support Joko Widodo (Jokowi) or Prabowo Subianto.

Previously, President SBY promised that the 2014 election democracy party would run smoothly. He then withdrew from all kinds of activities that triggered conflicts of interest. He did not want Indonesian political manners to be damaged.

Efforts to maintain neutrality in political contests are not easy. Moreover, for SBY who is the President of Indonesia and the General Chairman of the Democratic Party. SBY's popularity and charisma should bring benefits for his party to move further in the 2014 election.

What is special is that SBY chose a different path. He chose to uphold neutrality. He tried to separate himself from party and personal interests. The Democratic Party fought alone without SBY's help in introducing the party's political champions and agenda.

The risk of the Democratic vote plummeting to something that is possible. However, all these risks are not a problem for SBY. He does not want to have a conflict of interest because of the position he holds. SBY then invited all state officials, including the TNI and Polri, to secure the 2014 election.

He asked the TNI and Polri to be able to smell all kinds of potential cheating until the introduction during the people's party. SBY's attitude is appreciated by many parties. They consider SBY is setting an example of dignified politics.

SBY did not support legislative candidates from the Democratic Party. He did not interfere too much in the upcoming presidential election. Everyone who wants to run is welcome.

"The predictions of 2013 and 2014 are political years that invite comments from various circles. No matter the President, SBY, and Vice President, Boediono reminded, it is important to pay attention to this political year. The President, SBY said, all state officials, including government officials in the election must be completely neutral and educate, especially the TNI and Polri. "

"Neutral, not biased, and not doing anything that goes against the rules of the law and ethics. For the ranks of Cabinet members and governors, regencies, and mayors who come from political parties, when they have to carry out political missions in the upcoming 2014 election series," said Achmad Fachrudin in the book "The Difficult Road to the 2014 Election" (2013).

The choice to maintain neutrality taken by SBY continued to be improved on May 18, 2014. He dared to reveal that his party, the Democratic Party, chose to be neutral in the 2014 presidential election. The Democratic Party did not support Jokowi, nor did it support Prabowo Subianto.

SBY also freed his cadres to choose any presidential candidate who was considered in line with the party's mission. The culmination, SBY brought the Democratic Party to be ready to be outside the government. The Democratic Party is ready to become the opposition to the upcoming government.

"Regarding the attitude and choices of the Democratic Party in this presidential election, although the final decision is left to the General Chair and the High Council, the PD's preference in this Rapimnas is to be impartial, in the sense of not joining any camp, either Pak Joko Widodo's camp or Pak Prabowo's camp," said SBY as quoted by the ANTARA website, May 18, 2014.