Observer Says Palace Has A Role In Forming A Big Coalition

Illustrations - President Joko widodo at the PAN DPP Office (Photo: PAN Public Relations DOC)

Political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, M Jamiluddin Ritonga, assessed that the palace's role was carried out systematically to realize the formation of a major coalition to face the 2024 presidential election. This was indicated by several political meetings held by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. First, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's maneuver who secretly met the General Chairperson of Gerindra Prabowo Subianto and the General Chairperson of NasDem Surya Paloh. However, Luhut only managed to get close to Prabowo, while Surya Paloh remained on the stance of carrying Anies Baswedan as a presidential reading in 2024. "Kua ketum ini ditemui Luhut. Ternyata, untuk memelat partai politik tetap masuk dalam akir Istana," ujar Jamiluddin, Rabu, 5 April. Then the one who was busy, President Jokowi met with five general chairmen of government-supporting parties in the PAN office. The five political parties have formed a coalition, namely the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) consisting of Golkar, PAN and PPP, then Gerindra and PKB who have built the Great Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KKIR). Despite supporting the idea of forming a major coalition, Jokowi admitted that he left the decision to the ketum. According to Jamiluddin, Jokowi has hopes for the five parties to form a major coalition and invite the PDIP. "So the discourse of the Great Coalition seems to have been designed by the Palace. The parties supporting the government, minus PDIP, are deliberately directed to continue the political direction that Jokowi wants," said Jamiluddin.

However, Jamiluddin added, Jokowi did not want to openly support the big coalition because he did not want to face the PDIP chairman, Megawati Soekarnoputri. "Of course the maneuver was carried out by Jokowi with gray. Of course Jokowi will not want to go ahead in dealing with PDIP, especially Megawati Soekarnoputri," said Jamiluddin.