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Ruling coalition unimpressed by Gerindra’s proposal
Political parties in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s coalition have expressed their disinterest in the Gerindra Party’s request to take charge of the food and energy sectors as a condition for joining the government
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span>Political parties in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s coalition have expressed their disinterest in the Gerindra Party’s request to take charge of the food and energy sectors as a condition for joining the government.
The parties have said that they already had their own plans for food and energy security, which appear to be different to the programs Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto unveiled during the presidential campaign period.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto revealed that the president and his allies had already discussed their ideas, saying that they had agreed to maintain their initial plans.
The coalition, therefore, expects that any other party wishing to join the coalition will not offer new ideas or concepts that would clash with Jokowi’s programs.
“As we already have our own concepts, future cooperation within the next government should only be about [strengthening] Pancasila and the legislature,” Hasto said, dismissing assumptions that cooperation between the opposing camps required terms and conditions.
Gerindra politicians said on Friday after a meeting between Prabowo and members of the party’s advisory board in Hambalang, West Java, that its chairman would raise his ideas for food and energy security at a meeting with Jokowi and PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, and would only move forward with joining the government if their proposals were accepted.
Friday’s meeting was the party’s follow-up agenda item after a meeting between the two leaders at the Lebak Bulus MRT station in South Jakarta on June 12, during which Prabowo congratulated Jokowi on his reelection and pledged to support the government.
Senior PDI-P figure Effendi Simbolon said on Saturday that it would be better for the ruling coalition if Gerindra remained outside the government, in light of the policy differences between Jokowi and Prabowo.
He added that having Gerindra in the government could cause confusion among the public as Gerindra had never shown any intention to join Jokowi’s coalition since the 2014 presidential election.
“Therefore, Jokowi does not need to accommodate these demands […] If we do, the programs that [the ruling coalition] has envisioned will appear inconsistent,” he said, adding that the meeting between the figures at the MRT station was adequate.
“Don’t spoil them.”
Golkar Party executive Ace Hasan Syadzily shared this sentiment, saying that the coalition had formulated its ideas in the second volume of the Nawa Cita (nine-point development program) that Jokowi introduced on the campaign trial and during the presidential debates.
However, he said Golkar would still welcome any input from Gerindra. “We don’t want to be reckless,” Ace told The Jakarta Post.
National Awakening Party (PKB) deputy secretary-general Maman Imanulhaq pointed out that Gerindra had asked too much, saying that the MRT meeting did not have to lead to the two figures “riding the same carriage”.
“That’s the message. Don’t accommodate anyone who doesn’t get sweet [with us] and has a different vision. The ruling coalition already has many competent figures who are concerned about these sectors,” he said.
The NasDem Party, meanwhile, has described Gerindra’s demand as nonsense, saying that it was the ruling coalition that should be setting conditions. Prabowo, NasDem secretary-general Johnny G. Plate said, should accept the terms.
“Jokowi, not Prabowo, has been chosen by the people. Why would [Jokowi] implement Prabowo’s programs?” Johnny said.
