Calculate Ridwan Kamil Potential, Prabowo Subianto: Extraordinary Character

Prabowo Subianto gave a speech at the XVI Congress of Islamic Association (Persis) in Bandung Regency (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Defense (Menhan) Lt. Gen. TNI (Ret.) Prabowo Subianto said he took into account the potential that existed in the figure of the Governor of West Java (Jabar) M Ridwan Kamil. "I think it was Ridwan Kamil and KH Aceng (Ketum PP Persis). Ridwan Kamil must be taken into account too," said Prabowo Subianto when giving a speech at the XVI Congress of Islamic Unity (Persis) in Bandung Regency, quoted by Antara, Sunday. The statement from Defense Minister Prabowo was immediately greeted with loud applause from the participants of the XVI Persis Congress. "This is why you shout like that, I have to calculate (Ridwan Kamil), as an extraordinary figure," Prabowo continued. Prabowo said that the speech from Ridwan Kamil and KH Asung Zakaria was very good so that it made him a little nervous. "And what I see, what I see is the common thread, the importance of unity between all Indonesians, we can have different views, we can have corrections and criticism is good and that's good is democracy," he said. According to him, whatever the difference, must still uphold respect.

"So we are one of the big Indonesian families of the archipelago," he said. At the end of his remarks at the event, Prabowo again mentioned Ridwan Kamil's name. "The Governor of West Java must be taken into account, Indonesia was said to be the 16th ranked country. And even make it the fifth or fourth world, Indonesia can exceed Germany on condition that democracy is conducive," said Prabowo.