PKS casts doubt on Prabowo’s presidential bid

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), a traditional coalition partner of the Gerindra Party, has said that it was unlikely that Gerindra’s presidential nominee, Prabowo Subianto, would run for president in 2019.

"I think it is impossible for Prabowo to run [in the 2019 presidential election]," PKS politician Nasir Djamil said as quoted by tempo.co on Monday, claiming that he had the results of an analysis that the candidacy would go to "another person".

He said that Prabowo might decide to sit out the election for logistical reasons.

Prabowo, who serves as both chairman and chief patron of Gerindra, accepted his nomination last week during a party meeting at his residence in Hambalang, West Java. The opposition leader, however, made it clear that his nomination would depend on the support of coalition partners.

Nasir said it was possible that Gen. (ret.) Gatot Nurmantyo, the former Indonesian Military commander (TNI), would replace Prabowo as the party’s presidential candidate.

Hidayat Nur Wahid, a senior PKS politician, said it remained uncertain whether Prabowo would actually register in August as a presidential candidate. "Prabowo has yet to say, 'I will run for president'," said Hidayat, citing the Gerindra nominee's actual statement on his readiness to run, "''if I am given the mandate'". (afr/ahw)