PKS Opens Opportunity to Find Non-Seat Voice for Opponents of Gibran

Ilustrasi (Angga Nugraha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) will take another way against Gibran Rakabuming Raka-Teguh Prakosa in the 2020 Pilkada in Solo (Surakarta), if they do not succeed in getting other parties to form a coalition.

Chairman of the Central Java PKS Regional Management Board (DPW), Abdul Fikri Faqih, said that he could use the nomination requirements in the form of the number of votes for the 2019 DPRD Solo Pileg. Not through the number of seats in the DPRD.

"We have the option of inviting parties without seats to nominate candidates for a regional head in Solo via non-seat tickets," said Fikri to VOI, Tuesday, August 11.

Based on Article 5 of the General Election Commission (PKPU) Regulation Number 1 of 2020 which regulates the nomination of regional heads, it is stated that there are two conditions for nomination.

The first is the seat path. In which political parties or coalitions that obtain at least 20% of seats in the DPRD can nominate regional heads.

In addition, candidates can be nominated from political parties coalitions which have 25% of the accumulated votes. This is acquired by the validity of votes in the last DPRD member elections in the region, even though the party did not get DPRD seats.

"We have 35,218 votes (during the 2019 Legislative Election). Then, if we invite parties that do not have seats, such as PKB and PPP, it can be combined to become 25% and meet the requirements," said Fikri.

As for the option of nominating candidates through the non-seat path, they will be selected if none of the winning parties for the 2019 legislative elections wish to form a coalition against Gibran-Teguh. However, Fikri said that PKS still has the opportunity to nominate through the seat line.

There are 6 parties that are currently filling 45 seats in the Surakarta DPRD. Namely, PDI Perjuangan, Gerindra, Golkar, PKS, PAN, and PSI.  PDIP has 35 seats, PKS 5 seats, Gerindra 3 seats, Golkar 3 seats, PAN 3 seats, and PSI 1 seat.

To be able to nominate candidates for a regional head (cakada), PKS must find 4 additional seats.  This is because 25 percent of the requirements for 45 seats for DPRD members are 9 seats.

So far, Gibran-Teguh has been officially promoted by the PDI-P and Gerindra Party, through a recommendation letter issued by the party chairman.

Meanwhile, Golkar, PAN, and PSI are all about to join the fat coalition of PDIP and Gerindra.  However, these three parties still have not issued a letter of recommendation of support for Gibran. 

That way, PKS actually still hopes to attract other parties to join its coalition. "We're trying. The Pilkada, sometimes the choices can change in the last minute," he said.

In order for a coalition to be built, PKS does not want to overcharge. They were not sure that they wanted to nominate a candidate for the regional head of their own choice if other parties didn't want to.

Although, currently there are several chosen figures, such as the Deputy Mayor of Surakarta Achmad Purnomo and Pakubuwono XII's grandson, BRA Putri Woelan Sari Dewi.

"PKS is ready to acknowledge a figure if it is supported by a coalition party or the elements of people. But, we have to know ourselves as well. The candidates we support sometimes have capabilities, but lack acceptability because their names are not yet known," he said.