Capital And Popularity Are Not Enough, Erick Thohir Needs A 'Vehicle' If Tempted By The 2024 Presidential Election

SOE Minister Erick Thohir (Photo: DOK Ministry of SOEs)

JAKARTA - The name of the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, is widely rumored to be running for the 2024 presidential election. Looking back, Erick Thohir has been very active in the public, even on social media. Do not ask about electability.

Several surveys launched by survey institutions put Erick in a lucrative position even though they are not comparable to names such as Ganjar Pranowo, Ridwan Kamil, Anies Baswedan or Prabowo Subianto.

Political observer from Al Azhar University Andriadi Achmad assessed that Erick Thohir had the same opportunity as other candidates to taste the presidential election contestation. It's just that Erick needs to try to find a political 'vehicle' if he wants to run for president.

"Actually, anyone can and is not prohibited from declaring himself a presidential candidate. Of course, with the requirements set out in the Presidential Election Law that the presidential-vice presidential candidate pair can be proposed by a political party or a coalition of political parties with a minimum vote of 20 percent of the seats in the DPR RI and a minimum of 25 percent. percent of the votes are valid nationally," Andriadi told VOI, Wednesday, October 6.

This means, continued Andriadi, anyone who runs as a candidate for presidential and vice presidential candidates must ensure that political parties will support them. Therefore, the fundamental question is whether Erick Thohir already has a political party that will support him in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

"So far, Erick Thohir is not active and is not registered as one of the cadres of any political party. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure from the start if ET wants to run for the 2024 presidential election, it must ensure that political parties support the existing political parties in parliament or establish new political parties to support him in the 2024 presidential election," he explained.

Andriadi gave an example of several figures who wished to run in the presidential election since 2004 who later established political parties or were active as political party cadres. For example, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) founded the Democratic Party, Wiranto founded the Hanura Party, Prabowo founded Gerindra, and other figures.

"Unlike Jokowi, he did not establish a political party, but joined and was active as a PDIP cadre," he said.

Therefore, the Executive Director of the Nusantara Institute PolCom SRC assesses how much financial capital, social capital and popularity capital Erick Tohir has, if it is not supported by political parties, it is certain that he cannot participate as a contestant in the 2024 presidential election.

"Only after the supporting political parties are clear, it will be easier to step up and socialize themselves to the public. Look at some of the political party figures who have now started guerrillas and socialized themselves to run in the 2024 presidential election," he explained.

Andriadi added, Erick Thohir is still far enough to fight against the existing candidates if they do not have or are supported by political parties.

"Characters such as former TNI Commander Gatot Nurmantyo were predicted for the 2019 presidential candidate, failed, because they did not have tickets for supporting political parties," said Andriadi Achmad.

It is known, the name of the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir appeared in the 2024 presidential candidate market version of a number of research institutions. This political map is so interesting.

Erick did not just appear but outperformed a number of other big politician names. Seeing the political capital they have, it is not impossible that the 51-year-old man will be a surprise in the upcoming contest.

Last August, Erick's name was included in the presidential candidate exchange version of the Indonesian Political Indicator. In the survey, Erick outperformed the General Chair of the Golkar Party, Airlangga Hartarto, and the Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PDI-P (PDIP) Puan Maharani.

Erick is in tenth place, with an electability of 1.6 percent. Airlangga and Puan, respectively, are in position 12 (1.1 percent) and 14 (0.4 percent).

At the top of the list is Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, whose electability is 26.2 percent. Prabowo is strong but not prominent. Beneath him, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo shadows with 20.8 percent. Meanwhile, DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan took third place, with an electability of 15.5 percent.

"Prabowo Subianto still seems to have more support as a presidential candidate than other names, but he doesn't stand out. The main competitors are Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan. Then Sandiaga Uno, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Ridwan Kamil," said Director of Political Indicators Burhanudin Muhtadi in a virtual press conference, August 25.