Call Ridwan Kamil's Step Joining Golkar Is Right, Aher: It's Difficult To Become A Presidential Officer Without Political Parties

Chairman of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto handed over the party membership card to Ridwan Kamil on January 18, 2023. (Instagram/@golkar.indonesia)

JAKARTA - Former Governor of West Java Ahmad Heryawan or Aher, said that the steps taken by West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil to join the Golkar Party were correct. Because, according to him, if a figure wants to become a public official, especially the president, then he must dare to become a cadre of a political party (parpol).

"If RK (Ridwan Kamil, ed) enters Golkar, it means political parties are important," Aher told reporters, Monday, January 23. "It's difficult, someone to go to a political destination, wants to become public officials, both DPRD and executives, regents, mayors, and even presidents without becoming cadres of political parties," he added. The deputy chairman of the PKS Syuro Council assessed that the decision taken by Ridwan Kamil could be a lesson for all parties. Mainly for figures who want to become leaders in the future. He emphasized that to become public officials, they must go through political parties. On the other hand, political parties must also be able to strengthen their cadres in order to be able to compete with each other in the democratic party.

"Political parties must strengthen their regeneration, so that these figures come from their cadres. There are figures, not from cadres, at the same time the party does not have adequate figures. Often that happens," said Aher.

According to him, now it has entered into a transition period ahead of the 2024 General Election. In which, many figures have decided to become party cadres. "In the future, the party will make improvements to all levels of leadership, both for the regions and for the center," said Aher. So far, parties that have declared presidential candidates outside their cadres are the NasDem Party. NasDem has announced former DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, from non-political circles as the 2024 presidential reading.