Invited By PAN To Join The United Indonesia Coalition, PKS: Yes, But We Shouldn't Be Locked Up

Secretary General of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Aboe Bakar Al-Habsyi (Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Secretary General of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Aboe Bakar Al-Habsyi said his party was willing to accept the invitation to join the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) initiated by PAN, Golkar, and PPP.

However, Aboe Bakar emphasized that if he joined the coalition, PKS did not want to be restrained. In a sense, the party bearing the symbol of rice and crescent moon still wants to maneuver in political contestation and has the right to choose which presidential candidate it will carry.

"Anyone can invite PKS, welcome PKS, but it can't be locked. PKS is released freely. Anyone who wants to play is welcome. If you want to chase PKS, God willing, it's ready. But don't lock us. You understand what it means, right," said Aboe Bakar after the event. PKS 20th anniversary at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Sunday, May 29.

Aboe Bakar emphasized that PKS is trying to win the 2024 general election and no longer wants to be in the government's opposition. Thus, PKS will choose the right person to carry as its presidential candidate.

"We will decide who is the most worthy and we no longer want to be outside the government. We will win with victory. We want to carry it, not support it anymore," he said.

Previously, Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) invited the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) to join the United Indonesia Coalition which was initiated on May 12.

This was conveyed by Zulhas in his speech at the 20th anniversary of PKS at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, today.

"We (PAN), Golkar, and PPP are trying to create a United Indonesia Coalition, yes. I mean, hopefully PKS can work together," said Zulhas.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly said that the purpose of forming the United Indonesia Coalition was based on the experience of candidacy for president in the 2019 General Election, which only gave rise to two pairs of candidates.

Meanwhile, this coalition wants a new axis that can present more than two presidential and vice presidential candidates. This is because, according to Zulhas, the two pairs of candidates create an unproductive atmosphere of democracy and create polarization in society.

"Our current atmosphere is stuffy and unproductive. Maybe one of the reasons is that yesterday's presidential election only had two pairs. Because there were only two pairs of presidential elections, each supporter desperately defended his candidate and eliminated the other candidates," said Zulhas.

"That is to say, there are not two more candidates for the presidential election tomorrow. If it can be three, thankfully it can be more, to at least reduce what we have experienced recently, the stuffy and unproductive atmosphere," he continued.