KIB Formulates Coalition Program, Observer: Progressive, But If Only Buying Time Fears Anti-Climax

KIB consisting of Golkar, PPP and PAN after the list of participants in the 2024 General Election at the KPU office in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 10. (Inter-Aprillio A)

JAKARTA - The Golkar Party, PPP and PAN who are members of the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) have drawn up a vision and mission and designed a coalition program for the next 10 years or until 2035.

Political observer from Airlangga University (Unair) Surabaya, Airlangga Pribadi Kusman, assessed that the MCH move was quite progressive. However, it could be that the efforts to formulate the vision, mission and coalition programs are also limited to buying time.

"It's a progressive step, but if it's just buying time, we're afraid it's anti-climax. In the end, it's just transactional politics. Don't let the KIB steps, which so far look good, don't turn into an anti-climax," said Airlangga, Thursday, August 25, evening.

According to Airlangga, the vision-mission records and the KIB program will then become a way for the presidential candidate selection process and the involvement of candidates together with a public test. He considered KIB's attitude of not wanting to rush in determining a presidential candidate as a form of prudence. "KIB considers and looks at the direction and political process before deciding on the name of the presidential candidate," he said.

In Airlangga's view, KIB is building, strengthening, and beautifying the political machine first. After that, then they will see the candidates who will appear in line with or not with the program.

However, according to him, if KIB is indeed oriented towards the vision and mission, it would be better if the candidates to be embraced by KIB are also displayed in political moments together with the public.

Although KIB prioritizes programs over selling presidential candidate figures, Airlangga said this KIB move is irrelevant when compared to carrying presidential candidates in the United States. The reason is that most parties in Indonesia cannot carry out presidential candidates alone without a coalition.

"In America, the convention process is based on political parties. Democrats have their own conventions, Republicans do the same. But in Indonesia, the convention model is irrelevant because after the convention they have to build a coalition again," he said.

For information, PPP General Chair Suharso Monoarfa said that in the near future KIB will hold another meeting.

The meeting was held to convey MNH programs to the public in October 2022. Meanwhile, regarding the determination of the presidential candidate, he said it would not be done in the near future.

Previously, Golkar, PPP and PAN who were members of KIB designed a program for the next 10 years or until 2035. This was stated in the KIB vision and mission called the National Economic Transformation Acceleration Program (Paten). KIB offered a patent as one of their vision and mission in dealing with The upcoming 2024 presidential election.

"The patent emphasizes that Indonesia's crucial period is 2025-2035, where our demographic bonus is 191 million people," said Golkar General Chair Airlangga on the sidelines of delivering the vision and mission of KIB, at the Shangri-la Hotel, Surabaya, Sunday, August 14.

Airlangga said the vision and mission would be implemented if KIB won the 2024 presidential election. Later, he said, the patent would be implemented to improve the Indonesian economy.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy explained that the patent will prioritize food security, energy, fiscal strength, small and medium enterprises, maximizing gender equality and youth development.

"Well, we have to accelerate the economy so that we can achieve prosperity from our current per capita income of 4 thousand to 12 thousand," said Airlangga.