KIB Insinuated By PDIP It's Too Early, PPP DPP Chair Achmad Baidowi: Coalition From An Early Age Is Precisely To Consolidate Barisan

PPP DPP chairman Achmad Baidowi (Awiek). (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The United Development Party (PPP) responded to the sarcasm of the PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto who called the formation of the United Indonesia Coalition towards 2024 too early. The chairman of the PPP DPP, Achmad Baidowi (Awiek), appreciated Hasto's statement. However, he said the coalition was formed earlier to solidify the ranks. "That's an opinion, it's okay and we respect Pak Hasto's opinion. The coalition was formed to further solidify the ranks," said Awiek, Saturday, May 21.

Moreover, said Awiek, the United Indonesia Coalition contains political parties (parties) that are also in the Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Ma'ruf Amin government coalition. Namely Golkar, PAN and PPP. According to him, the formation of this coalition will be able to clarify the cooperation scheme in the future.

"Moreover, the United Indonesia Coalition is both a coalition of political parties at this time. So that future cooperation schemes can be more clearly defined from an early age," he said.

The secretary of the PPP faction in the DPR also ensured that the United Indonesia Coalition would not interfere with the work of Jokowi's cabinet. He believes that ministers from the United Indonesia Coalition will carry out political activities outside of their duties as assistants to the president.

"There is no intention of the united Indonesia coalition to disturb the solidity of the Forward Indonesia cabinet. Ministers carry out political activities outside of working hours," concluded Awiek. Previously, the Secretary General of the PDI-P (PDIP) Hasto Kristiyanto understood that each party needed to prepare for the 2024 general election. However, he reminded that the interests of the people must remain the focus of all parties.

"PDIP realizes that every party is also getting ready to contest in (Election, ed) 2024, but the interests of the people must be prioritized," Hasto told reporters at Banteng Square, Central Jakarta, Friday, May 20.

This is the reason why the party bearing the bull symbol refuses to follow the steps of PAN, PPP, and Golkar which have formed a coalition called the United Indonesia Coalition. He emphasized that PDIP's main focus is currently helping the government restore many sectors that had been hit by the pandemic.

"Don't take the contest too early and then waste our energy for the improvement and progress of the nation and the post-pandemic state. This is what we encourage," he added.

Hasto reminded the election that there are stages. So, PDIP has not thought about a coalition.

PDIP, he continued, is currently focusing on guarding President Jokowi's government and solving problems in the community. Moreover, currently conditions in the country are facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war.

"There are stages in the election. There is a priority scale," he said.

"We share limited energy, the focus is limited energy for the people at this time until there is time to build political party cooperation," added Hasto.