PAN Insists On Proposing Erick Thohir, Gerindra Asks For Time About Prabowo's Vice Presidential Candidate

JAKARTA - The Gerindra Party emphasized that Prabowo Subianto's presidential candidate will still wait for the right time to announce the name of the accompanying vice presidential candidate in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. This was emphasized by the Daily Chairperson of Gerindra Sufmi Dasco Ahmad in response to the statement by the Chairman of the DPP PAN Saleh Partaonan who stated that PAN consistently supported the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, to become Prabowo's vice presidential candidate.

"Pak Prabowo is still waiting for the right time regarding the vice presidential candidate," Dasco told reporters, Monday, September 4. Dasco said that the potential names of Prabowo's vice presidential candidates are still being discussed with political parties who are members of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM). Currently, KIM consists of Gerindra, Golkar and PAN after PKB joined NasDem.

"It still has to be discussed with coalition party friends, about who has the opportunity," said Dasco. Previously, the chairman of the DPP PAN, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, said that his party consistently supported SOE Minister Erick Thohir as vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto. He said Erick Thohir's name was getting stronger after the departure of PKB from the coalition which was originally called the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition. KIM, said Saleh, would take into account Erick's name to be Prabowo's companion.

"In line with the existing political dynamics, we believe that Erick Thohir's chances of becoming Prabowo's vice president are getting stronger. At least, after Cak Imin left KIM, one of the candidates had left.

"That way, KIM will certainly take into account Erick Thohir and set him on a priority scale," said PAN DPP chairman Saleh Partaonan Daulay in his statement, Sunday, September 3.

Nevertheless, Saleh emphasized that PAN would respect every proposal from the party carrying Prabowo.

"PAN will continue to consistently support Erick Thohir as Prabowo's vice presidential candidate. But of course PAN will respect the proposal of the Golkar party which encourages Airlangga or other Golkar party cadres," he said.