DKI PKS Insists On Anies Being A Presidential Candidate, The Vice Presidential Candidate Depends On The Coalition Agreement

Illustration of the campaign carried out by PKS in the 2019 Election. (Antara-Ampelsa)

JAKARTA - Secretary of the DKI Jakarta PKS Regional Advisory Council (MPW), Muhammad Taufik Zoelkifli, said that his party firmly supports DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan as a presidential candidate in the 2024 election.

This was reinforced by the presence of Anies in the healthy walk event held by PKS on Sunday, August 21. At that time, party cadres bearing the crescent moon flanked rice strands who were present cheering Anies as president.

"We have received proposals from below, from cadres, from the community, and indeed one of the strongest is the name Anies Baswedan to become a presidential candidate that PKS can carry," Taufik said when contacted, Wednesday, August 24.

According to Taufik, the desire to carry Anies as a presidential candidate in the next political contest is in line with PKS' political stance in the 2017 DKI Regional Election. Taufik claimed that Anies' performance while in Jakarta looked good and deserved to be continued on a national scale.

"We are the ones who support him, who supported him in 2017 as governor and we think that Anies Baswedan was quite successful in bringing Jakarta to a better direction," said Taufik.

Meanwhile, regarding the figure who will be carried as a vice presidential candidate to accompany Anies, Taufik admitted that his party hopes to be filled by PKS's own internal cadres.

However, that may not necessarily happen. Bearing in mind, PKS needs other parties to form a coalition so that it meets the presidential nomination threshold of 20 percent of parliamentary seats.

Meanwhile, Taufik realized that other parties in a coalition would not necessarily want the vice presidential candidate from the party cadre bearing the rice and crescent symbol.

"For his deputy, Mr. Anies, if it's a party ego, yes of course he wants RI 2 from PKS. But, of course we have to look at the existing political reality," said Taufik.

"Currently, you can't nominate alone, 20 percent is not enough. So, maybe later, for example, if there is a coalition friend to run for Anies Baswedan, then we'll talk to friends (other parties) first," he said.