Observer Of The Value Of Bamsoet's Speech About The Presidential Candidate To Lock Airlangga Hartarto

Leader of the United Indonesia Coalition/DOK IST

JAKARTA - The Golkar Party's internal dynamics are said to have strengthened after Golkar's deputy chairman Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet) stated that his party had finally nominated Airlangga Hartarto as a presidential candidate. Bamsoet's words were actually seen as a key for Airlangga.

Political observer at Paramadina University, Ahmad Khoirul Umam, said the strong internal dynamics of the Golkar Party could potentially threaten the future leadership of General Chair Airlangga Hartarto, including the political constellation in the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB).

"Golkar is a political party inhabited by various types of political forces that are not single. As a result, each force will stalk each other and attack each other," said Umam in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 3.

He gave an example, Bambang Soesatyo's statement which emphasized that Airlangga was the chosen presidential candidate from the Golkar Party. But according to Umam, his words could lock Airlangga.

"In this context, Bamsoet's statement about Airlangga's candidacy is a strategy to lock down Airlangga's steps, which is actually carrying out a 'time buying strategy' to look forward to the dynamics of the relationship between the Palace, the President and PDIP in running for Ganjar Pranowo," said Umam.

Bamsoet, he said, saw that the Airlangga and KIB camps were starting to narrate the presidential and vice presidential candidates from internal parties. If Airlangga's candidacy is forced, according to Umam, it will have an impact on the solidity of KIB itself.

This is because, continued Umam, mid-level parties such as PAN and PPP tend not to dare to play speculative political strategies. They tend to side with the coalition that has a greater chance of winning.

The lecturer at Paramadina University Jakarta added, "If you don't have competitive presidential and vice presidential candidates, the middle-tier parties will not get the optimal coat-tail effect. So it has the potential to make them relegated from the 4 percent Parliamentary Threshold that haunts them, especially PAN and PPP.

"If Airlangga finally makes a mistake, it will be an opening for Bamsoet to coup Airlangga's leadership. Therefore, Airlangga's camp must anticipate this condition," said Umam.

"Now it's just a matter of how Airlangga uses his leadership to maintain the internal stability of his party. At the same time, Airlangga must also finalize his political strategy, so that he doesn't make a wrong move. If he makes a wrong move, there are other forces waiting to challenge his leadership," added Umam.