Surya Paloh Calls There Is Pressure For NasDem To Leave The Government Coalition, Gerindra: Never Hearing That Issue

Photo via NasDem Party Twitter

JAKARTA - The Gerindra Party responded to a statement by the Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, who said that there were parties who urged his party to leave the coalition of government of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

The daily chairman of the Gerindra Party DPP, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that his party had not heard of the issue raised by Surya Paloh. "We have not heard of the issue," Dasco told reporters, Wednesday, October 19.

According to Dasco, the matter of the government coalition to the ministerial position is President Jokowi's decision.

"The issue of the coalition, especially the agreement in the government, is the prerogative of the president. So I think it depends on the president," said the Deputy Speaker of the DPR. Previously, the General Chairperson of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, opened his voice about the existence of parties who wanted his party to leave the presidential coalition, President Joko Widodo. The push to resign emerged after NasDem declared Anies Baswedan as a candidate for president (readpres) 2024.

"Some have stated that we should urge the President to remove NasDem from the government coalition, that is a challenge, that is what we face," said Surya Paloh in a speech launching the 'NasDem Calling' program at NasDem Tower, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Monday, October 17.

However, Paloh emphasized that NasDem's attitude did not change from his initial commitment despite these pressures. NasDem, he said, will continue to support the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government until the end of his term of office in 2024.

"But has our nature changed? Has our commitment changed? To continue to support the administration of the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government until the 2024 election, I say we have never changed, brothers and sisters," he said.

In fact, Paloh revealed, NasDem supports the policy of increasing fuel as a form of its commitment to the Jokowi government. According to him, the policy is correct.

"I want to give an illustration to you, just a few decades ago the Jokowi-Ma'ruf government took an extraordinary strategic policy. For what? To take a faedah that is more meaningful for the continuity of the nation's development. Reducing fuel subsidies, that means raising prices. What is NasDem thinking? Is that right? NasDem considers that the right policy," he said. Paloh was surprised by the 7 factions of the coalition political parties, only NasDem supported government policies to increase fuel prices. The support, he said, was sincerely channeled for the nation's development.

"Because it is considered the right policy, NasDem provides sincere support, completely, but strange magic bins if there are 9, there are 7 factions of the government coalition party there is only 1 faction that states that the way continues to increase this fuel. What does that mean? This means that parties or other factions have declared it inappropriate," he continued.

Paloh assessed that the support for rising fuel prices proves that his party is loyal to government. But, he said, let the people judge the loyalty.

"I'm joking to tell Pak Jokowi, Mr. President, we have seven factions of this government coalition, this is a policy of increasing fuel, the six factions don't agree that only one faction agrees, otherwise the most stupid or loyalist factions are impossible like this. So just translate NasDem, whether the party is stupid or the most loyalist in Jokowi, please translate it," said Paloh.