Declared By The Presidential Candidate, Bung Anies Baswedan Not Forced By Surya Paloh Joins The NasDem Cadre

Photo of Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI

JAKARTA - NasDem General Chair Surya Paloh will not force DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to join his party after being declared a presidential candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres). Anies has the freedom to determine. "Bung Anies whether he joins NasDem or not, someone asks this, it's up to Bung Anies," Paloh told reporters at NasDem Tower, Gondangdia, Central Jakarta, Monday, October 3. Surya said he would not forbid if Anies wanted to join. However, he will also not force him to join because the former Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) does not yet have a party. "Both of them don't exist. That's what decides Bung Anies," he said. According to Anies, joining or not Anies as a NasDem cadre is not an important issue. Now the most important thing is the interests of the nation. "I'm just consistent here. But if Bung Anies wants to enter, why should we forbid it? What is this general chairman, it's wrong too," he said. "So it's not an issue, the term is not the import issue for NasDem. Anies wants to (enter, ed) NasDem, he doesn't enter, the important thing is that Anies is consistent in building this nation," continued Surya. As previously reported, Anies has been declared a candidate for president of the NasDem Party. Related to this, he admitted that he was ready to become a presidential candidate for the NasDem Party in the 2024 presidential election. "We accept Bismillah, we are ready," said Anies after being declared as NasDem presidential candidate at NasDem Tower, Gondangdia, Central Jakarta, Monday, October 3. Anies believes that his advancement as a presidential candidate will serve him. Thus, the former Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) will continue to strive. "By asking for prayers, God willing, this long journey will not be a tough journey but a light journey," he said. "We prepare this effort as a form of worship," Anies continued.