Airlangga Gives A Signal That There Will Be Political Parties That Will Join The Advanced Indonesia Coalition Carriage In The Jakarta Pilkada

Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The General Chairperson of the Golkar Party DPP Airlangga Hartarto gave a signal that a political party might join the Jakarta Maju Coalition (KIM) carriage for the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) in the Jakarta Special Region (DKJ).

Airlangga, when met after the 46th Anniversary of the Indonesian Renewal Youth Force (AMPI) in Jakarta on Friday night, called the carriage KIM Plus.

"Yes, it is clear if West Java is like that, it means who is Jakarta, especially KIM Plus's Jakarta," said Airlangga in response to reporters' questions about the development of Golkar's stance regarding the Pilkada in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, August 3.

Regarding this question, he did not immediately answer the candidates for the regions supported by Golkar. Airlangga actually answered this by explaining the meeting between Golkar and Gerindra, as well as the prospective governor candidate who was promoted by Gerindra in West Java, namely Dedi Mulyadi.

"We have (ada) the development of the meeting in West Java between the Golkar Party, the Golkar Party DPD, and also the Gerindra Party DPD, then there was also a meeting between the West Java gubernatorial candidate, Dedi Mulyadi's brother, and the Golkar management including the deputy chairman, Mr. Ade Ginanjar. So, the conversation has reached there," said Airlangga.

Regarding Airlangga's statement, the Secretary General of the Golkar Party DPP Lodewijk F. Paulus was still reluctant to mention the party that would join the KIM carriage for the Jakarta Pilkada. "Yes, we'll see the progress of (KIM) plus this means plus there is an Indonesian Coalition (Forward) plus (increased) what? Well, we'll wait a while," said Lodewijk.

Then, when asked about the direction of Golkar's support for the Jakarta Pilkada, Lodewijk gave a signal that the party might support Ridwan Kamil (RK).

"(If) Mr. Dedi is there (West Java, ed.), it means that RK's otw (on the way) is right. Maybe the billboards are installed again, right? How do you agree or not?" Lodewijk said in response to reporters' questions.

Ridwan Kamil, who is the deputy chairman of Golkar, previously received instructions from the party to prepare himself to run as a candidate for governor in two provinces, namely Jakarta and West Java.

Then for the final decision of Golkar regarding the nomination of RK, Lodewijk said it would be announced in the future, or at least before August 27, 2024. The Indonesian KPU opened the registration of prospective regional head candidates for the 2024 Pilkada on August 27.

"We are still waiting, no names have been proposed yet. RK is still running from Bandung. After he arrived, we just talked," said Lodewijk.

KIM is a coalition supporting the Elected President-Vice President Elected Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the 2024 presidential election.

The coalition consists of the Gerindra Party, Golkar Party, PAN, Democratic Party, Crescent Star Party, PSI, PRIMA, Gelora Party, Garuda Party, and one local party, Aceh Party.

So far, the majority of KIM's party members, especially those who have seats to carry regional head candidates, have not officially announced the governorial candidate they carry in Jakarta.