Wait For The Coalition To Form, NasDem: Presidential Candidate Convention Isn't Funny

JAKARTA - The NasDem Party Congress has mandated the management of the Central Leadership Council (DPP) to hold a convention in 2022. The purpose of this convention is to recruit presidential candidates (candidates) who will be promoted in the 2024 General Election.

Deputy General Chairman of the NasDem Party, Ahmad Ali, emphasized that his party did not want the convention to be held only for imaging or increasing electability.

NasDem, said Ali, expects a serious convention to find potential leaders for the country. It's not a joke or prank event that only increases the party's popularity.

Therefore, Ali said, the presidential candidate convention will be held on condition that the NasDem Party already has a coalition partner. This is in accordance with the wishes of the General Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh.

"The convention is a place to find the leader of this country, the best cadre of this nation. So, the prerequisites (coalition, ed) must be fulfilled," said Ahmad Ali to reporters, Thursday, October 14.

Ali explained that the direction of the coalition is in the hands of Surya Paloh as the general chairman who has the authority and authority.

Because the nature of the convention is to set the stage, said Ali, when the coalition is formed, the name is no longer the convention of the NasDem Party but the convention of the coalition.

"The convention will be more attractive if it meets the requirements for presidential candidacy. Many national and national leaders who have commitment and integrity see Indonesia as better in the future, but then face problems because they don't have a political party," he said.

Of course, said Ali, obstacles like this must be facilitated by the NasDem Party. So that people who have the potential and have a dream to build this country have the opportunity and are not monopolized by political party cadres alone.

"Culturists, academics, activists, go ahead. We can't claim that only party members are the best or have the right to build this country. All children of the country have the same right to build this country," said Ali.

Regarding the criteria for coalition parties, the chairman of the NasDem Party faction explained that the general criteria are ideology. According to him, ideologically all parties in Indonesia are the same, but the most important thing is a political party that has a commitment to make Indonesia a better place.

"It's not verbal or rhetorical, but in everyday life we can detect which political party has the same direction as the NasDem Party," said Ali.

It is known, in the 2019 Election, the NasDem Party won 9.05 percent or 12,661,792 votes. NasDem requires one to two parties to meet the presidential threshold of 20 percent of parliament or 25 percent of the vote.