Observer Says Surya Paloh And Prabowo Are Less Likely To Build A Coalition In The 2024 Presidential Election

Surya Paloh and Prabowo Subianto, did not meet to build a coalition. (photo: doc. between)

JAKARTA - It is believed that the meeting between Surya Paloh and Prabowo Subianto will not lead to the formation of a coalition. Political observer from Paramadina University Ahmad Khoirul Umam assessed that the coalition between the NasDem Party and the Gerindra Party in the 2024 General Election had little chance.

Umam assessed that NasDem Party DPP chairman Surya Paloh and Gerindra Party DPP chairman Prabowo Subianto had different perspectives and models of approach in politics.

"Remember, one of the parties who kept reminding us of the dangers of exploiting identity politics in the 2019 presidential election, apart from former president SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono), at that time was Surya Paloh," Umam said in a written message, Wednesday, June 1.

He said Surya Paloh was also one of the general chairmen of the government coalition political parties who objected to Prabowo's proposed entry into the composition of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet as Minister of Defense.

"So, the fluid atmosphere of Paloh and Prabowo's friendship today is actually placed on a fundamentally different national political vision. However, in politics there is always a possibility," he added.

The political relationship between Surya Paloh and Prabowo Subianto, according to him, was built since they were both Golkar Party cadres until the two figures left and formed their respective parties. Armed with this closeness, Umam believes that the Surya Paloh and Prabowo meeting is not only ceremonial, but also related to exploring the coalition towards the 2024 presidential election.

"However, the possibility is getting smaller when the expectations of the two are very different. Paloh is one of the general chairmen of a political party who from the beginning he wanted to be a king maker, so he did not want his steps to be locked down by parties who wanted to run for president themselves. ," said the Executive Director of the Institute for Democracy and Strategic Affairs (Indostrategic).

This was also the reason why the NasDem Party refused to join the United Indonesia Coalition, which consisted of the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

"In the context of the Paloh-Prabowo meeting, I also believe that Paloh refuses to be locked in his steps for Prabowo's candidacy," he said.

Despite the small chance of a coalition, Umam assessed that the meeting between Prabowo and Surya Paloh had a good political purpose.

"To minimize the potential for friction at the grassroots when there are different coalitions in the 2024 presidential election contestation, so that the post-2024 election political reconciliation process can be carried out more effectively," he said.