Prabowonomics is said to be PKB's attempt to claim Prabowo's political legacy.

Photo caption: President Prabowo with Muhaimin Iskandar during the PKB Harlah event which carried the theme of Prabowonomics. (Cahyo/Presidential Press Office)

JAKARTA - The Executive Director of Aljabar Strategic Indonesia, Arifki Chaniago, said the PKB's decision to carry the theme of Prabowonomics in the 28th anniversary of Harlah was a political maneuver to claim President Prabowo Subianto's "political legacy" while opening up internal competition for the coalition towards the 2029 presidential election.

According to him, PKB's move shows that PKB is trying to take the earliest position to identify itself as the political party most closely associated with Prabowo's government's success.

"PKB is doing what I call a struggle for political ownership of Prabowonomics. This is not just supporting President Prabowo, but trying to become the party that is most attached to the success of his government. Whoever succeeds in mastering that narrative, he has the greatest chance of becoming Prabowo's political heir in 2029," said Arifki, Sunday, July 26.

He assessed that the 28th PKB Harlah could not be read as only a ceremonial agenda of the party. The selection of the theme of Prabowonomics actually shows that the contest for the 2029 presidential election has begun faster than many parties expected.

"If you look at it, what is going on now is not a competition between the government coalition and the opposition. What is beginning to form is actually a competition within the coalition itself. All figures are beginning to build their offers in front of President Prabowo, and PKB is one of the earliest movers," he continued.

He revealed that PKB's move was also a long-term political investment for Muhaimin Iskandar. Because, by appearing as the most vocal supporter of the government's economic agenda, Cak Imin is building a political argument that he deserves to be considered as Prabowo's companion in the 2029 presidential election.

"This is not a matter of a declaration of support, but a political investment. PKB wants to create the perception that when Prabowo is successful, there is PKB who will help maintain, escort, and even sell the idea of Prabowonomics to the public. This perception is important to increase Cak Imin's bargaining position in the exchange of vice presidential candidates," said Arifki.

In addition, this strategy also sends a message to other parties in the Indonesia Maju Plus Coalition that the scramble for the vice presidential candidate seat has begun. Therefore, each party is now competing to show the greatest political contribution to the success of the government.

"What is being contested now is not just the vice presidential seat. What is being contested is who has the most right to claim the success of the Prabowo government other than Gerindra. PKB seems to want to be the first party to secure that position. This is certainly a tough code for Golkar, PAN, Democrats, to PSI that the competition towards 2029 has begun," said Arifki.