PKB And Gerindra Don't Want To Be Alone, Ready To Open Up An Expansion Of The Coalition

Muhaimin Iskandar and Prabowo Subianto at the Asri Tegalrejo API Islamic Boarding School, Central Java (ANTARA/HO-DPP PKB)

JAKARTA - Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa dan Partai Gerindra sepakat memperluas koalisi dengan membuka diri bagi partai politik lain untuk bergabung dengan Kebangkitan Indonesia Raya.

"PKB and Gerindra have agreed to open up to other political parties to join the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition," said PKB General Chair Muhaimin Iskandar in a statement received in Jakarta, Saturday, September 24.

Muhaimin and Prabowo Subianto, General Chairperson of the Gerindra Party DPP, held a meeting with the kiai and students of the API Asri Tegalrejo Islamic Boarding School in Magelang, Central Java, Friday, September 23 last night.

Regarding the presidential candidate (candidate) and the vice presidential candidate to be promoted, Muhaimin said it could still be discussed further because the presidential election is still long, on February 14, 2024.

However, he emphasized that the results of the PKB Congress in Bali in 2019 had decided to run as a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election.

"Regarding the vice presidential candidate, it will be discussed again. Currently, we are concentrating on expanding support, especially the community, strengthening ranks, and increasing the number of parties joining," he said as quoted by Antara.

In addition to discussing coalition opportunities, the discussions held between Muhaimin and Prabowo with the kiai and santri discussed the development of pesantren to the challenges of the nation.

Meanwhile, Prabowo Subianto said his visit to the Tegalrejo Ponpes Magelang was a form of friendship to Islamic-based educational institutions that he had visited when he was still actively serving in the military, about 46 years ago.

The Minister of Defense said that the meeting also discussed the follow-up to the cooperation between the PKB and the Gerindra Party, which had previously been agreed to form a coalition for the 2024 presidential election.

Also attending the meeting at the Tegalrejo Islamic Boarding School, Magelang, Central Java, were Deputy Chairperson of the PKB DPP Jazilul Fawaid, Secretary General of the PKB DPP Hasanuddin Wahid, Deputy Chairman of Commission XI of the PKB faction of the DPR Fathan Subchi, Secretary General of the Gerindra Party DPP Ahmad Muzani, Deputy Chairperson of the Gerindra Party DPP Sugiono, Chairman of the Gerindra Party DPP Prasetyo Hadi, and Chairman of the Central Java Gerindra Party DPD Abdul Wachid.