The Gelora Party Disentil 'Don't Look For Fish In One Pond', Fahri Hamzah: PKS Is Confused And Scared, People Are Considered Fish

Fahri Hamzah/Instagram

JAKARTA - The Deputy General Chairperson (Waketum) of the Gelora Party, Fahri Hamzah, responded to the message from the Chairman of the PKS Shura Council Salim Segaf Al-Jufri that his party should seek votes in different niches, aka 'don't look for fish in the same pond'. According to Fahri, the statement contained fear. even seem misguided because people are analogous to fish.

"It seems that there is regret and fear in it, so it is misleading, considering elections like fishing for fish. Parties are considered fishing rods and the people are considered fish," Fahri Hamzah told reporters, Thursday, January 27. "Indeed, PKS is experiencing massive confusion, from the Shura Council to the structure, about how to face the future," continued Fahri.

Fahri then mentioned about the PKS seats in the DPR which are quite a lot, but can't do anything about it. It is known that currently the only opposition parties are PKS and Democrats. "On the one hand, as a party that already has 50 seats in the DPR and thousands of seats throughout Indonesia, there is nothing that can be done except to say that we are small and cannot do anything," said Fahri.

"In the end, the confusion was poured out on the Gelora Party because of the fear that the Gelora Party would become more and more popular," he continued.

The former deputy chairman of the DPR also hopes that PKS can continue to improve its performance in the legislature. Moreover, said Fahri, parliament has the right of immunity in expressing opinions and asking the government without being threatened by the ITE Law.

"I hope PKS improves its performance in the legislature and stops making apologies as if 50 seats can't do anything. Even though the 50 seats are 50 people who are given facilities and immunity by the people to speak using their strong rights, from the right to ask questions to the right to express opinions. Before that, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) warned fellow Islam-based parties, particularly the Gelora Party and the Ummat Party, not to target voters from the same segment.

The chairman of the PKS Shura Council, Salim Segaf Al-Jufri, said the two new parties had different voter segments. According to him, fishing in the same pond will only confuse voters.

"What we don't want is not to all fish in one pond. The fish are also confused," said Salim in an interview, Tuesday, January 25.

Salim emphasized that the emergence of a number of Islamic-based parties, including the Gelora Party and the Ummat Party, was not a threat. He is sure that the new parties have their own segment of voters. Salim explained that from the total votes obtained by PKS in parliament, there are still more than 91 percent that other parties can work on. Thus, the new parties can still retain their voter base.

"I believe and I always think well, new parties, Gelora, Ummat, of course they have their own segment. He is looking for a certain segment," he said.