Today's History: Starting From The Fadli-Hashim Conversation, Gerindra Party Born February 6, 2008

Prabowo Subianto. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today 14 years ago, or February 6, 2008, to be precise, the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) was born. Fadli Zon and Hashim Djojohadikusumo are the two intellectuals behind it. This party was born from their concern for the welfare of the people which is decreasing day by day. As a strategy to win the hearts of the people, Gerindra also made Prabowo Subianto its icon.

Launching the Gerindra Party website, the plan to form a party emerged in a long chat between Fadli and Hashim on their way to Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The incident occurred in November 2007.

Gerindra Party logo. (Photo: Doc. Gerindra Party)

The conversation between the two was not far from politics, which began to drift away from democratic values. The democratic system has been hijacked by irresponsible people, both recalled. Because the people are just tools of power. No more.

This condition must be terminated immediately. Both of them were furious. Therefore, to realize true democratic values, a new party was initiated. Hashim who acts looking for a name. Then Prabowo who initiated the eagle's head symbol.

Prebowo with President Jokowi. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

After that, Gerindra was founded on February 6, 2008. Prabowo was chosen as an icon. The decision was made so that Gerindra's votes could compete with other major parties.

"Prabowo's new vehicle is the Great Indonesia Movement Party, aka Gerindra. The platform fits my view, namely the people's economy. "Now we are more capitalist than capitalist countries," he said. With the Gerindra Party, Prabowo feels that he can more optimally fight for the people's economy because the platform is very close."

"But if you look at Prabowo's relationship with Gerindra, the two are like a mutualistic symbiosis. Just look at Prabowo, he needs Gerindra as a political vehicle because the Golkar Party cannot possibly accommodate him. On the other hand, Prabowo is also needed by the Gerindra Party as a party icon and as a voting machine," wrote Femi Adi Soempono in Prabowo's book: From Cijantung Moves to the Palace (2009).

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