NasDem Wants To Vice President Anies Not From Coalition, PKS: Not Fair Don't Create Political Parties Who Have Good Cadres

Photo via NasDem Party Twitter

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Muhammad Kholid did not agree with the intention of the Deputy Chairperson of the NasDem Party, Ahmad Ali, who wants a vice presidential candidate (cawapres) accompanying Anies Baswedan, not from a coalition party.

Kholid said, NasDem's decision was unfair for political parties that have potential cadres to be promoted in the 2024 presidential election.

"It's not fair, for political parties that have good cadres, whose quality is suddenly required not to run as vice presidential candidate," Kholid told reporters, Monday, October 24.

Even so, Kholid said, PKS had no problem with NasDem's attitude as long as the figure who became the vice presidential candidate Anies had high electability and good leadership and could unite the coalition and nation. After all, he said, PKS did not give conditions that the figure must come from within the party or outside.

"Yesterday, our small team only determined the criteria. Even if NasDem proposes to be outside the political parties, please inspire it, but PKS does not require that," explained Kholid. The name of the vice presidential candidate who will be proposed to the NasDem Party and the Democratic Party as a candidate for coalition partners. Kholid said, the name of the vice presidential candidate that has narrowed within the PKS is the former Governor of West Java, Ahmad Heryawan (Aher).

Kholid said, initially there were five names of vice presidential candidates that would be proposed. They are Ahmad Heryawan, Hidayat Nur Wahid, Iwan Prayitno, Ahmad Syaikhu, and M Sohibul Iman.

"There are five meetings between the Syura Council. There are Ahmad Heryawan, Hidayat Nur Wahid, Iwan Prayitno, Ahmad Syaikhu, and M. Sohibul Iman," said Kholid.

Of the five names, he continued, it narrowed down to one name, namely Aher's name which was considered by the Shura Council to be proposed to the future axis of the coalition.

"Most of the five, then communicated if it was made to be narrowed from our internals if we were asked by one person from PKS, the leadership narrowed to Ahmad Heryawan as one of the candidates we proposed," he said.

However, Kholid emphasized that the Aher name had not yet become a final decision. Because, he said, PKS would still discuss it with the NasDem Party and the Democratic Party.

"Later we will simulate what kind of small team, later we will make a more in-depth study," said Kholid.

Previously, Deputy Chairperson of the NasDem Party, Ahmad Ali, assessed that the figure of the vice presidential candidate who would accompany Anies Baswedan should come from outside the NasDem-Democrat-PKS coalition candidates. Although, he said, NasDem still respects the mechanism within PKS and Democrats.

"The NasDem Party has the view that we should take (cawapres) from outside the coalition party," said Ali, Tuesday, October 18.

Ali reasoned, if the party encourages its own internal figures to become vice presidential candidates, it will be at risk of harming the coalition being built.

"Then, three parties, one vice presidential candidate. For example, party A, party B, how can't you get anything, right?" said Ali.