Denies Gibran's Nomination Due To Ruling Pressure, Democrats Sindir Balik Hasto: Could PDIP Be Hostage

Prabowo Subianto with Gibran Rakabuming Raka/DOK Instagram @prabowo

JAKARTA - The Democratic Party denies that there is a general chairman of a political party (Parpol) in the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM) who is under pressure from the authorities regarding the candidacy for Gibran Rakabuming as a vice presidential candidate (cawapres).

This was in response to the statement of the Secretary General of PDIP Hasto Kristiyanto regarding the letter card of the head of the political party in the coalition supporting Prabowo Subianto.

Deputy of Bappilu DPP of the Democratic Party Kamhar Lakumani assessed that Hasto's statement was completely baseless.

Kamhar emphasized that his party had never heard or felt held hostage in determining the presidential and vice presidential candidates supported by KIM in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

"This is a baseless statement. The Democratic Party has never even been in an autonomous position, let alone being held hostage in determining the presidential and vice presidential candidates," Kamhar told reporters, Monday, October 30.

Kamhar revealed that the Democratic Party agreed to elect Gibran as a vice presidential candidate because the name of the mayor of Solo was included in the names of 4 accompanying candidates for Prabowo.

"The Democratic Party can accept Gibran as Pak Prabowo's partner because it was Mas Gibran that was decided by Pak Prabowo as his companion," said Kamhar.

Moreover, continued Kamhar, the Democrats have fully submitted the issue of the name of the vice presidential candidate to Prabowo as the presidential candidate from KIM. Where the determination of the Prabowo vice presidential candidate is also through deliberation and consensus between the ketums.

"Democrats obey the principles. Since the time he brought Pak Prabowo and became part of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition, we have fully handed over the Bacawapres to Pak Prabowo," explained Kamhar.

Kamhar then suspected that the PDI-P, which is currently being held hostage because of its cadre, Gibran Rakabuming, who is also the mayor of Solo and the eldest son of President Joko Widodo, was running as a vice presidential candidate from other political parties.

"Could it be that Bung Hasto's party was held hostage," Kamhar quipped.

Previously, PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto admitted that he received a story about the letter card of the general chairman (ketum) of political parties regarding Gibran's candidacy.

"Indonesia is a spiritual country. Here morality, the values of truth, loyalty are put forward. What happened to the entire chain of nomination of Mas Gibran, is actually a political disobdicate against the constitution and the Indonesian people," said Hasto in a written statement, Sunday, October 29.

Hasto alluded to the pressure on power and the truck card of the general chairman of the political party regarding the nomination of President Joko Widodo's eldest son.

"All of them are combined with legal engineering at the Constitutional Court. I myself accept the recognition of several general chairmen of political parties who feel the truf card is held. Some say my life time is only daily; then some say the severity of power pressure," said Hasto.