Coalition Is A Must, Golkar Could Not Ask Ridwan Kamil To Be Airlangga's Vice President

Golkar Chairman Airlangga Hartarto and Golkar Deputy for the Raising of Election Voters and Winners, Ridwan Kamil (Nailin-VOI)

JAKARTA - Ridwan Kamil has officially become a cadre of the Golkar Party. However, it is impossible for a party bearing the banyan symbol to propose the Governor of West Java as a candidate for vice president (cawapres).

Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party, Marcus Melchias Mekeng, said that this was impossible because the Golkar Party had appointed its General Chairperson, Airlangga Hartarto, as a 2024 presidential candidate (Capres).

Even Golkar, he said, could not put forward a pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates on their own because they did not meet the threshold for presidential nominations, so they had to form a coalition with other parties.

"Not yet (talking about the vice presidential candidate). After all, we can't nominate ourselves, we have to wait for a coalition, right. So it's impossible (Airlangga-RK)," said Mekeng at the Golkar DPP Office, Wednesday, January 18, evening.

Despite Airlangga's electability under Ridwan Kamil, Mekeng said Golkar still complied with the mandate of the national assembly (munas) which determined its general chairman as the 2024 presidential candidate.

Even if a Munaslub was held to replace the Golkar presidential candidate, he said, there were requirements that the process would take a long time.

"Golkar has broken up with Mr. Airlangga's National Conference, it's impossible to change it unless there's a Munaslub. (But) to make a Munaslub there are prerequisites that must be met, so it's a bit over," he said.

On the one hand, Mekeng added, Ridwan Kamil had stated his commitment to win Airlangga as the 2024 presidential candidate.

"Earlier, Mr. RK said he respected it," he added.

Mekeng also ensured that Ridwan Kamil's entry would not change the political map or constellation within the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) which was composed of Golkar, PPP and PAN.

"No, that's different, isn't it. He is involved in internal party affairs, while KIB is between parties," he concluded.