PKB-PDIP Disagree Sohibul Becomes Cawagub, Syaikhu: God Willing, Mr. Anies Will Stay With PKS

PKS President Ahmad Syaikhu/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - President of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Ahmad Syaikhu responded to the response of the PKB and PDI-P (PDIP) who did not agree if Sohibul Iman became a candidate for deputy governor of DKI Jakarta accompanying Anies Baswedan.

Sohibul believes Anies is still willing to be carried by PKS, which has now appointed the Deputy Chairperson of the PKS Syuro Council as his cawagub, even if PKB and PDIP do not want to join the coalition in the future.

"Hopefully Mr. Anies also understands PKS very well. God willing, we will Husnuzan (presumptionably good) Mr. Anies will stay with PKS," said Syaikhu after closing the party school in Central Jakarta, Thursday, June 27.

Syaikhu also responded to the statement by the Deputy Secretary General of PKB, Syaiful Huda, who assessed that the PKS decision to pair Anies with Sohibul blunders for closing the door for other parties to form a coalition.

"There are no dangers, everything is safe," said Syaikhu.

However, Syaikhu realized that PKS could not carry Anies-Sohibul without forming a coalition with other political parties. Given that to carry a candidate pair in the DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election, a minimum requirement for ownership of 22 seats for DKI Jakarta DPRD members is needed.

Meanwhile, PKS, which won the 2024 Legislative Election, only has 18 seats. PKS requires at least 4 additional seats.

Therefore, PKS also asked Anies to build communication with other political parties and invite investigations as they wish.

"Indeed, we are dealing with a reality that this has not been able to move because there are not enough seats. Therefore, I, Mr. Anies and we will all try to find additional seats, so God willing, this boat will be able to sail," explained Syaikhu.

Previously, PDIP and PKB responded to the PKS decision to carry Anies and Syaikhu into the cagub-cawagub in the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada. PDIP DPP chairman Eriko Sotarduga reminded that there is no political party that can carry DKI Jakarta cagub-cawagub in the 2024 Pilkada alone without forming a coalition with other parties.

"Once again with all humility, no party can nominate itself, including the PDI-P, including PKS," said Eriko at the PDIP DPP office, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, June 25.

To be able to carry candidate pairs in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, parties or coalitions of parties require at least 22 seats in the DKI Jakarta DPRD.

Therefore, as long as the candidate pair has not registered with the General Election Commission (KPU) in August, Eriko said that the suspension of Anies-Sohibul is still a discourse and can change. This depends on the results of the party coalition agreement that will be partnered with PKS.

"Of course there can still be changes. Never mind that, one day before registration can still change. Yes, the name of political calculations is not just ordinary calculations, but a lot is being considered," explained Eriko.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary General of PKB, Syaiful Huda, criticized PKS, who suddenly changed its decision quickly because it initially carried Sohibul Iman into a Jakarta cagub, then corrected it. According to Huda, this is a form of PKS uncertainty.

"The uncertainty of PKS friends, which should be PKS's own internal consumption, but published because the first was Pak Sohibul Iman's announcement, corrected the next two days by the PKS president. That means there is anxiety, there is public communication that may be considered wrong and needs to be corrected, and the problem of the follow-up is to immediately pair up between Mas Anies and Mas Sohibul Iman," explained Huda.

Huda also said that the PKS move to carry Anies Baswedan-Sohibul Iman in the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada was dangerous for the party. Because PKS does not have a Golden ticket to be able to carry the cagub and cawagub pairs themselves in Jakarta.

"I was, we PKB were in a position that we didn't want to respond, because this is still very fluid. So what PKS is discenarioning is actually still a very liquid opportunity," said Huda.