Paloh: confusion leads to Sultan leaving Nasional Demokrat

Nasional Demokrat chairman Surya Paloh said that Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X resigned from the mass organization due to confusion over the establishment of a Nasdem Party.

“We understand that the Sultan left us, because it is indeed difficult to differentiate Nasional Demokrat as a mass organization and Nasem,” said Surya on Friday at Nasional Demokrat headquarters in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Surya also said that Nasional Demokrat owed Sultan for its values.

“Sultan Hamengku X has contributed significantly to Nasional Demokrat with his Javanese philosophy,” he said.

Sultan Hamengku X, who founded Nasional Demokrat together with Paloh and other public figures, left the organization on July 7.

Sultan Hamengku X said that he left the organization because he felt disappointed when Paloh and other Nasional Demokrat members established Nasdem, which used to be an abbreviation for the mass organization.

“If I had no reason to be disappointed I would not leave,” the Sultan said.

He added the change in its status from a mass organization to a political party had led Nasional Demokrat to assume vested interests and therefore could no longer sincerely serve the interests of the people.

The Sultan said that as a societal organization, Nasional Demokrat was different from a political party merely focused on acquiring power.(aaa)