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Sandiaga to decide whether to jump ship for PPP after Idul Fitri
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Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno stands at a podium on Aug. 16, 2022. (Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry/-)
G
erindra Party politician Sandiaga Uno, who served as running mate for party patron Prabowo Subianto in the previous presidential election, will decide after the Idul Fitri holiday whether to quit his party to join the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP), which has backed him as a potential candidate for the 2024 race.
Sandiaga said he faced a dilemma over whether to stay with Gerindra, which helped him win the Jakarta vice governorship in 2017, or to join the PPP for new opportunities in 2024.
"This is a very difficult decision to make. I will be performing istikharah prayers on the last 10 days of Ramadan to get a firm footing for my decision,” he said in a statement.
“God willing, I will have the final say after Idul Fitri,” Sandiaga said in a statement. This year’s Idul Fitri is expected to fall on April 21 or 22.
“I ask my friends to be patient. We must maintain our political ethics; we must make sure that our political moves come with decency," said the politician who currently serves as the tourism and creative economy minister.
Sandiaga ran as Prabowo’s running mate in the 2019 presidential race. The pair eventually lost to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin. Prabowo later joined Jokowi’s Cabinet as Defense Minister.
Speculation that the relationship between Sandiaga and Prabowo had become strained arose earlier this year as the former appeared to be getting closer with the PPP and exploring the possibility of running for president in 2024.
