Realizing The National Coalition, PAN Is Ready To Become A Motorbike

Secretary General of PAN Eddy Soeparno (photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The National Mandate Party (PAN) is ready to become a driving force to create a major coalition or national coalition in the 2024 General Election.

"PAN is ready to become the driving force for the national coalition under the guidance of Pak Jokowi. We believe that the National Coalition will be realized," said Secretary General (Secretary General) of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Eddy Soeparno quoting Antara.

Eddy added that the friendship carried out by the General Chairperson (Ketum) of PAN Zulkifli Hasan by visiting the residence of Gerindra Party Chairman Prabowo Subianto, Saturday (8/4), was a follow-up to efforts to realize the national coalition.

"The meeting with Pak Prabowo and Gerindra is a follow-up to PAN's efforts and coalition parties to realize the national coalition as in previous talks at the PAN DPP office," said the Deputy Chairman of Commission VII DPR RI.

He said PAN already has historical closeness to the Gerindra Party along with its general chairman, because for the last 10 years PAN has supported Prabowo Subianto in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections.

Moreover, he added, currently both parties are part of the coalition of government of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin.

"Therefore, for PAN, establishing communication and cooperation with Pak Prabowo and Gerindra is a sustainable effort that has been in collaboration since 2014," said Eddy.

Saturday afternoon, April 8, Zulkifli Hasan held a meeting with Prabowo Subianto at Kertanegara's house, South Jakarta.

From the PAN side, Zulkifli Hasan was accompanied by the Secretary General of PAN Eddy Soeparno, Deputy General Chairperson of PAN Yandri Susanto, Deputy Chairperson of PAN Viva Yoga Mauladi, Chairman of the PAN faction of the DPR RI Saleh Daulay, Chairman of DPW PAN DKI Jakarta Eko Hendro Purnomo (Eko Patrio), and other political party administrators.

The gathering was attended by Prabowo Subianto accompanied by Secretary General of the Gerindra Party Ahmad Muzani, Daily Chairperson of Gerindra Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, and special staff and spokesman for the Minister of Defense (Menhan) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak.

The meeting was a continuation of the "Silaturahmi Ramadhan" event held by PAN at the DPP PAN Jakarta Office, Sunday (2/4), which was also attended by the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto, Plt. PPP Chairman Mardiono, PKB General Chair Muhaimin Iskandar, and other political party leaders.

Two coalitions of political parties attended the gathering, namely the United Indonesia Coalition which was formed on June 4, 2022 with members of the Golkar, PPP, and PAN parties and the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition with members of the Gerindra and PKB parties.

President Joko Widodo, who was also present at the event, said that the general chairmen were suitable for a coalition.

"I just say it is suitable (to form), it is up to the general chairman of the party or the combination of party general chairman for the good of the state, for the good of the nation, for the good of the people, things related can be discussed that will be better," said Jokowi.

To note, the registration of prospective presidential candidates (candidates) and vice presidential candidates (cawapres) is scheduled for October 19 to November 25, 2023.

Based on Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections (UU Pemilu), pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates are proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election who meet the requirements for obtaining seats of at least 20 percent of the total seats in the DPR or obtaining 25 percent of valid votes nationally in the previous election for members of the DPR.

Currently, there are 575 seats in parliament, so that the pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election must have at least 115 seats in the DPR RI. It is also possible that the candidate pairs can be promoted by political parties or a combination of political parties participating in the 2019 Election with a total valid vote acquisition of at least 34,992,703 votes.