Anies Concerning Rumors Of Being Tackled By KIM Plus Forward To The Jakarta Gubernatorial Election: Everything Is Just Speculation

Former Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan at the NasDem Party State Defense Academy, South Jakarta, Thursday, August 8 (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Anies Baswedan responded to rumors of the formation of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM) Plus aimed at thwarting him from advancing for the 2024 DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. According to Anies, the content is only speculation.

This is because so far the parties that have revealed that they will carry it, such as PKS, PKB, and NasDem, have not been seen switching their support to other candidates.

"All of that is just speculation. We'll see now, has something changed? Nothing has changed, right. It's still the same," said Anies when met at the NasDem Party State Defense Academy, South Jakarta, Thursday, August 8.

Anies did not care about the rumors that developed without being confirmed. According to him, there are still many people in Jakarta who will support the ideas he brought to run for the Jakarta Pilkada. Anies believes that his supporting parties will also be arrested by his current parties.

"I believe. I see no changes. Gossip is all kinds of things. But we refer to the official stance and we are sure that democracy in Jakarta will be maintained, aspirations will also appear in parties," said Anies.

Anies claimed that communication between himself and political parties was still ongoing. However, the former governor of DKI Jakarta did not reveal how the development of communication regarding his candidacy so far.

"Everything is still ongoing. Indeed, there are conversations that are not posted, yes. But communication and discussion are still ongoing. That's why we are optimistic about what the residents of Jakarta expect, it will be reflected later. The regional election, as well as regional head elections, certainly reflects the aspirations that exist in the area. And that's what we have to focus on," he explained.

The discourse of KIM Plus was first raised by the Daily Chair of Gerindra, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, who stated that parties that have different supports in the 2024 presidential election, will join KIM in regional elections, especially in Jakarta, West Java and Central Java.

Former Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil (RK) was also confirmed to run in the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada under KIM Plus. RK will be declared a candidate for governor (cagub) Jakarta in the near future.

"Yes, a day or two (declared, ed)," said Dasco at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, August 6.

Dasco did not rule out the possibility that the name of the Jakarta cawagub would be proposed by political parties outside KIM. Currently, he said, KIM Plus has started conducting intensive communication regarding the cagub and cawagub pairs for the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada.

"Well, who will be chosen to accompany RK, we'll just have to wait. Maybe the time will not take too long to be conveyed to the public," explained Dasco.

When asked who the additional political parties on KIM Plus were, Dasco was reluctant to provide a lattice. He said KIM communicated with all political parties including PKS, NasDem, PKB and PPP and Perindo.

"I didn't just talk about his communication to PKS, we communicated with political parties such as NasDem, PKB, we also had communication with PPP, there was also communication with Perindo, we all communicated. (The Fix, ed) Wait a day or two," he concluded.

Nasdem, PKS, and PKB also have the opportunity to join KIM Plus. Nasdem still seems doubtful in supporting Anies Baswedan and has yet to provide an official recommendation letter to Anies to run for the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Meanwhile, PKB support for Anies is still at the DPW level of Jakarta Province. The PKB DPP has not yet provided an official recommendation to Anies and has even recently considered joining KIM Plus.

PKS has officially supported Anies Baswedan, but was immediately duetted with PKS cadre Sohibul Iman. However, the Jakarta gubernatorial election could be one of the PKS bargainings that had asked to join the upcoming Prabowo-Gibran government.

This means that PKS can join the Prabowo-Gibran government on condition that it supports the cagub-cawagub pair promoted by KIM in the Jakarta gubernatorial election.