Partai Demokrat: Cak Imin to Become Anies’ VP Pick

Jakarta, Indonesia - As speculation on the Vice Presidential pick of each 2024 presidential candidate continues to happen, the Democrat Party (Partai Demokrat) has claimed that it had knowledge of the vice presidential pick for the Coalition of Change for Unity, the coalition the Democrat Party has thus far supported along with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Democratic Party (NasDem). The Coalition of Change for Unity is also the coalition which has put forth Anies Baswedan as its presidential candidate.

According to Teuku Rifly Harsya, Secretary-General of the Democrat Party, the Chairman of the National Democratic (NasDem) Party, Surya Paloh, has already decided on a running mate for Anies Bawedan, namely Muhaimin Iskandar. This has resulted in the Democrat Party stating that this arrangement was a betrayal of the initial founding purpose of the Coalition of Change for Unity, claiming that Agus Yudhoyono, Chairman of the Democrat Party, was Anies’ initial pick and had been sidelined in favour of Mr. Iskandar.

“The series of events that have occurred constitutes a betrayal of the spirit of change; betrayal of the Coalition Charter that has been agreed upon by all three founding political parties; and a betrayal of the words of Presidential Candidate Anies Baswedan, to whom a mandate for the leadership of the Coalition of Change for Unity has been given.” Said Mr. Harsya in a press release, as reported on by Kompas. (31/08/23)

Colloquially known as Cak Imin, Mr. Iskandar is the Chairman of the National Awakening Party, an Islamic Democratic Party formerly in the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition, along with the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (GERINDRA), the Party of Functional Groups (Golkar), and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). The Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition is also the coalition which has put forth Prabowo Subianto as its presidential candidate.

On the 29th of August, the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition’s name was changed to the Onward Indonesia Coalition in what was likely an attempt to claim the continuity of President Joko Widodo who employed the Onward Indonesia Coalition as the name of the coalition of parties supporting his bid for re-in 2019.

However, after the announcement of the coalition’s name change, Mr. Iskandar appeared to slowly back out of the group of parties supporting Prabowo Subianto.

“Of course I will report to my party that the developments have changed. So the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition is dissolved, right? Now I don’t know for sure, so I will report it to my party first.” (29/08/23)

Considering this statement, the possibility of Muhaimin Iskandar genuinely being picked as Anies’ running mate seems likely.

Besides the response of the Democrat Party, Prabowo Subianto has also directly responded to the possible pairing.

“Well that is our democracy. Our democracy is based on discussion. I myself have not heard of those (Anies-Cak Imin pairing) plans, said Mr. Subianto. (31/08/23)

“But, that is democracy, we negotiate, we discuss, just keep calm.” Continued Mr. Subianto.

Around Jakarta, reports have also emerged of the Democrat Party taking down banners supporting Anies Baswedan for the presidency, which may indicate the party’s withdrawal of support for the Coalition of Change for Unity.

More than anything, these developments prove that the allegiances of each political party are very flexible, and may change before the official registration date of presidential candidates.

The Brawijaya Times will be giving further updates regarding the situation of the party coalitions as events continues to develop.