Affirm Indonesia Not Using The Coalition System, Megawati: If You Say Cooperation It's OK

PDI-P (PDIP) Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev)

JAKARTA - PDI-P Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri explained that the term coalition between parties is not in accordance with the political system in Indonesia. He called the term random so that it should not be continued, especially ahead of the 2024 General Election (Pemilu).

Instead of a coalition, Megawati said the word 'cooperation' between political parties was deemed more appropriate to be used.

"Indonesia does not use a coalition system. So, if you want to say cooperation is allowed," said Megawati in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, September 16.

He said Indonesia adheres to a presidential system. Meanwhile, most of the western countries use a parliamentary system whose head of government is a prime minister.

So, Megawati asked for this criticism to be stopped. "The election system. Why can I say that? Because I was once invited by members of the DPR to America, among others, to see how the American system works in carrying out its election method," said the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"We have a connection to the KPU. So I said that please stop and it must be explained to the community and all those who work politics that there is no coalition," continued Megawati.

Megawati said that this cooperation system usually begins with an agreement or the existence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between parties.

For example, during a meeting between the General Chairperson of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo Subianto, and the Chairperson of the PDIP DPP, Puan Maharani, who was said to have resulted in three agreements.

Meanwhile, if there is a coalition, there will be opposition from the government. "I never wanted to be called opposition when the government of Mr. SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono). At that time, ed) it was said that the PDI-P was in opposition. (But that, ed) not (right, ed). I said what, the PDI-P was not in the cabinet," he concluded.

Likewise in choosing a presidential candidate. Megawati said, she had no problem with the existence of certain party mechanisms that carried out the convention. But whoever is called, if you use a coalition system, it must really come from grassroots.