Observer Of Megawati-Prabowo Meeting Value Has Connection With The 2024 Presidential Election

Prabowo-Megawati Meeting/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Political communication observer from Pelita Harapan University (UPH) Emrus Sihombing believes that the meeting between Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo Subianto can become an embryo for political cooperation in facing the 2024 presidential election. Emrus in his written statement, in Jakarta, Sunday, May 8, 2022. Emrus said this was in response to a visit from the General Chair of the Gerindra Party Prabowo Subianto to the residence of PDI-P General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri on Jalan Teuku Umar, Jakarta, Monday 2 May 2022. Megawati was accompanied by Prananda Prabowo and Puan Maharani, while Prabowo was accompanied by Didit Hediprasetyo and Secretary General of the Gerindra Party Ahmad Muzani. According to him, the gathering was an informal meeting. In informal meetings, everything can be discussed as long as it is in accordance with the interests of the parties. This is different from formal meetings which are more rigid because there are protocol corridors. "I see this as an informal meeting. Usually, informal meetings are closer psychologically, sociologically, and anthropologically," he said. Gerindra. The informal meeting requires psychological closeness. According to Emrus, the meeting will affect the 2024 scheme. If the two form a coalition to nominate the Prabowo-Puan candidate pair in the 2024 presidential election, it will be very productive. Especially if it is added with coalitions of other parties, such as Golkar, NasDem, PKB, and PPP. "If that is done, I think it will almost certainly win the 2024 election," he explained.

Emrus assessed that the Prabowo-Puan candidate pair would not only win the 2024 contest, but would be able to bring Indonesia forward. He considered that the Prabowo-Puan candidate pair complemented each other.

Prabowo is based on popularity and electability, while Puan has proven qualities when occupying various positions, such as the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture and the Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives. As a female figure, Puan is considered to play a motherly role to embrace, bond, and protect all groups. "That is, Puan Maharani Moreover, he said, Gerindra and PDIP have more or less the same party character, namely the loyalty of their cadres to their respective general leaders. The general chairman of the party has a very large influence and role. The two parties rank the highest in the number of votes in the 2019 election. "Gerindra and PDIP, their cadres have a lot of confidence in the general chairman of their party. So they are upright," he stressed. Meanwhile, political observer and Executive Director of Charta Politica Indonesia Yunarto Wijaya stated that Puan Maharani needs to strengthen her "personal branding", not just being known as the grandson of the proclaimer and the chairman of the DPR RI." Ms. Puan must have the courage to break through the old views that have emerged about her, which are often seen as normative, have limitations as Chair of the DPR, and are more dependent on figures or breeds. family. She has to show her 'personal branding' personally," he said. So far, people know Puan as a descendant of Soekarno, her achievements while serving in the 2014-2019 Working Cabinet, and the Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives. But according to Yunarto, Puan still needs to continue to come down to the community. "So she must have the courage to speak about what is in the field, current issues include a lot of issues in the field, not just in her capacity as Chair of the DPR. She must come as a PDIP cadre and maybe from that closeness to the community can emerge," said Yunarto.