President Urges Nation to Protect ‘Intangible Assets’
Unity, harmony and kinship are as old as time in Indonesia and they are the nation’s largest assets. If these assets are lost to the contestation of the regional and general elections, the social and political costs will be too large to bear.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Unity, harmony and kinship are as old as time in Indonesia and they are the nation’s largest assets. If these assets are lost to the contestation of the regional and general elections, the social and political costs will be too large to bear.
“Let us all apply good judgment, positive thinking and develop ideas based on love [for one another]. Do not let us easily give in to suspicion, hostile judgment and negative thinking,” President Jokowi said on Thursday (26/7/2018) in his speech at the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) 43rd anniversary event.
The event also included a groundbreaking ceremony for the 20-story MUI Tower to be built on Jl. Raya Hankam in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
The MUI’s anniversary comes amid increasing political lobbying ahead of the 2019 general elections. In recent days, prominent political figures have met and delivered statements that have grabbed headlines.
Among these was former president and Democratic Party chair Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s statement regarding his party’s position in the political constellation ahead of the general elections.
Yudhoyono told a press conference at his residence on Wednesday (25/7) that it would be difficult for the Democrats to join President Jokowi’s ruling coalition due to lack of approval from certain coalition members. He added that his relationship with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chair Megawati Soekarnoputri remained fractured.
He also said that he had never offered his son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), as Jokowi’s running mate.
In response, PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto commented that Yudhoyono’s statement was merely a “routine gripe” ahead of the election. He also said that any fissure between Yudhoyono and Megawati was no reason for the Democrats not to join Jokowi’s coalition.
“Whether or not the Democratic Party [joins] Pak Jokowi’s coalition is based more on Pak Yudhoyono’s complicated calculations. He’s too focused on AHY’s future,” Hasto said.
Protecting assets
The President said the government and ulema across the nation must always work together to protect the nation’s greatest assets. “I ask all of you to nurture our ukhuwah Islamiyah [Islamic brotherhood] and our ukhuwah wathaniyah [nation’s brotherhood], as our unity, kinship and harmony are among our greatest assets,” he said.
MUI chair Ma’ruf Amin stressed that Indonesia was founded upon an agreement, and that its founding fathers had agreed to be brothers and sisters within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
Vice presidential candidate
The Gerindra Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Democratic Party will soon select several possible figures as Gerindra chair Prabowo Subianto’s running mate in next year’s election. Prabowo is expected to run for president.
Gerindra secretary-general Ahmad Muzani said the public could make educated guesses as to whom Prabowo would pick. Those touted as his potential running mate included the Democrats’ AHY, PAN chair Zulkifli Hasan, the PKS’s Salim Segaf Al-Jufri and Ahmad Heryawan, and non-party figures such as Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and former Indonesian Military commander Gatot Nurmantyo.
Muzani said that meetings to discuss the issue had intensified, as registration for the presidential and vice presidential candidates would open in just nine days on Aug. 4.
On Friday, Prabowo is scheduled to meet with Salim Segaf to talk about PKS’s proposal for the general elections and the latest political dynamics after the Democrats stated its intention to join Gerindra’s coalition.
In order to find a middle road, Muzani said that each party in the coalition should compromise. “They must understand the situation and be willing,” he said.
PAN deputy secretary-general Yandri Susanto said that non-party members could serve as an alternative vice presidential candidate if talks over nominating party executives reached a deadlock. “The solution exists outside of political parties in figures such as Anies or Gatot. All will have to agree to this,” he said.
Earlier, PKS executive Mardani Ali Sera also said that picking an outsider could be a good middle road. “We want to win. If we don’t agree on a political party figure, we should back one from outside. This could be an alternative,” he had said.
Despite the potentially difficult discussions on a running mate, Muzani said the coalition would remain solid, due to the strong ties and cooperation between the four coalition parties and their similar stances on strategic issues. The coalition had also agreed to sharing power. “As an embryo, we have talked about sharing power and all [attendant] details. Sharing power and responsibility to resolve national issues is typical,” he said.