Meeting Jokowi, Hary Tanoe Denies Presenting New Ministers' Names From Perindo

Chairman of the Perindo Party Hary Tanoesoedibjo (right) at the Merdeka Palace, Monday 15 May (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - General Chair of the Perindo Party Hary Tanoesoedibjo said he had a chance to talk privately with President Joko Widodo after accompanying the Indonesian Chinese Marga Social Association (PSMTI) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

"I had other business earlier with the President, just a moment (talked privately) after the PSMTI event earlier," said Hary Tanoe in the Jakarta Presidential Palace, quoted by ANTARA Monday, May 15.

Hary Tanoe admitted that he accompanied PSMTI Chairman Wilianto Tanta and other entrepreneurs to talk about PSMTI's support for President Jokowi's leadership.

However, Hary Tanoe denied the handing over of the new names of ministers from the Perindo Party to President Jokowi.

"It's not true, I don't give up anything. I just need to build the Perindo Party because building a party requires concentration and focus, so my job is to build a party so that it can become a big party," said Hary.

As for PSMTI, it is supportive of President Jokowi's development program.

"If PSMTI's stance supports what he has done and what is expected is continuity, it is implicitly like that, what he supports is definitely supported by PSMTI," added Hary.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate from Perindo has not yet been decided. "It's too early (about the presidential candidate), I have to talk to DPP friends, we will study it properly and then we will make a decision," said Hary.

He also opened communication with all other political parties.

"Later we'll see how many are supported by any party, we'll take a stand on one of them," added Hary.

The name of Perindo's final presidential candidate will be announced in June 2023. "Hopefully it won't be later than June because this decision must be mature," said Hary.

Currently, there are three names of potential presidential candidates sticking out to take part in the 2024 General Election, namely the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo who was promoted by the PDI-Perjuangan and the United Development Party (PPP), former Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan who was declared by the Nasdem Party, Democratic Party and PKS.

Finally, there is the name of the Minister of Defense who is also the general chairman of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo Subianto, who was proposed by the Gerindra Party, which is also in a coalition with the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Registration for presidential and vice presidential candidates is scheduled for 19 October 2023 to 25 November 2023.

Based on Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections (UU General Election), the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs are proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election that meet the requirements for obtaining seats of at least 20 percent of the total seats in the DPR or obtaining 25 percent of valid votes. nationally in the previous parliamentary elections.

Currently, there are 575 seats in parliament so the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs in the 2024 presidential election must have the support of at least 115 seats in the Indonesian Parliament. Candidate pairs can also be carried by political parties or a combination of political parties participating in the 2019 Election with a minimum total of 34,992,703 valid votes.