A large billboard displays photos of Aceh Party general chairman Muzakir Manaf and Gerindra Party legislative candidate Khaidir, bearing the words '€œYa Allah, Ridhailah Saudara Kami [Allah, Bless Our Brothers],'€ on Jl. Ahmad Yani in Langsa city, Aceh.

The pictures of the two figures, one from a local party, the other from a national party, attract the attention of many on the main road of Langsa. A Gerindra official acknowledged the poster represented an alliance between the Aceh Party (the local party) and Gerindra (the national party) in the April 9 legislative election.

As a local party, the Aceh Party cannot nominate its members for legislative posts in the House of Representatives, while can do so for regency/city and provincial council positions. Gerindra Aceh regional board chairman Zainal Sabri said the coalition between the two parties had been agreed at the party leadership level.

According to Zainal, based on the consensus that the Aceh Party'€™s support would translate into vote gains for Gerindra'€™s legislative aspirants, in return, Gerindra would represent the Aceh Party'€™s aspirations at the national level.

'€œIt'€™s a consensus between party leaders. We hope it will run well at the lower ranks,'€ Zainal Sabri told The Jakarta Post on March 1.

Zainal revealed Gerindra'€™s target of securing seven House seats in the 2014 election through the alliance, which he described as a '€œmaximum'€, as in the 2009 elections, Gerindra secured no House seats. In the province, Gerindra is aiming for nine seats, equivalent to one faction in the regional legislative council (DPRDs), which he said was realistic if the Aceh Party was committed to backing Gerindra in the
elections.

Aceh Party Aceh Tamiang regency chairman Sahar said his party leaders had notified the lower party ranks to work for the victory of Gerindra at the national level. However, Sahar added the matter had not yet been communicated to Aceh Party supporters and sympathizers at the grassroots level.

'€œWe haven'€™t communicated this because we'€™re preoccupied with party consolidation,'€ he said.

Jafaruddin, alias Agam, an Aceh Party supporter, said there had been no official order yet from the party to ensure the entry of Gerindra contenders to the House. Jafaruddin claimed to be confused by his party leaders'€™ policy to form an alliance with Gerindra.

'€œI'€™ve been wondering why the party decided to back Gerindra. We'€™ve received no explanation yet,'€ he said. Jafaruddin doubted he would vote for Gerindra legislative candidates due to the military leadership of the latter party.

'€œGerindra is Prabowo [Subianto, the party'€™s chairman], who was once a Special Forces [Kopassus] commander. Why should the Aceh Party back a military figure while we still have traumatic experiences of soldiers?'€ asked Jafaruddin, who said the memory of his older brother being shot dead by a soldier was
still fresh.

Jafaruddin was unconvinced Aceh Party followers and sympathizers would fully support Gerindra legislative hopefuls, as some of his peers in the former were silently backing House candidates from other national parties.

'€” JP/Apriadi Gunawan

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