JAKARTA: Political parties backing president-elect Prabowo Subianto have opened their doors for President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo after his old party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which played a big role in bringing him to power, ended ties with the outgoing leader.
After refraining from publicly addressing the apparent rift in their relationship, the PDI-P recently confirmed, for the first time, that the President and his family members were no longer part of the party, ending more than a decade-old alliance between Jokowi and the PDI-P.
The party’s ethical division head Komarudin Watubun said Jokowi, along with his eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka who ran as Prabowo’s vice presidential candidate in the February election, were not expelled but ceased to be members when they decided not to endorse the PDI-P’s presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo.
Questions now loom over what the future holds for the outgoing leader and his family, with some parties aligned with his successor Prabowo extending invitations for Jokowi to join their ranks.
The Golkar Party was among the first to open its doors, with chairman Airlangga Hartarto saying both Jokowi and Gibran “have been accepted as members of the Golkar family.”
He highlighted the party’s special relationship with the former Jakarta governor as well as Golkar’s role in nominating Gibran as Prabowo’s running mate.
Airlangga, who is serving as Jokowi’s coordinating economic minister, also noted that the country’s oldest party had demonstrated full support for the government throughout his two presidential tenures.
However, the senior minister noted that Jokowi is not a “national asset” belonging to all parties, so it is entirely up to the President whether he would formally join Golkar.
“When it comes to what position he should have, it’s up to the President,” Airlangga said when asked whether the party has prepared a special position for Jokowi within the party.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) followed suit, with chairman Zulkifli Hasan openly inviting Jokowi and his family to consider joining the party and saying that the President could always find a home in the Islam-based party.
“Pak Jokowi and his family [are part of] PAN and PAN is the family of Pak Jokowi,” Zulkifli said, “so there’s no need to look elsewhere. [They] already have a home.”
Members of Golkar and PAN claimed that the parties would give Jokowi an “influential and honoUrable” position within their ranks should he decide to join either.
Gibran denied rumours of his potential move to join Golkar when attending a post-Idul Fitri gathering organised by the party’s chapter in Surakarta, Central Java. “
There aren’t any official announcements. We’re all friends. No ulterior motive here,” the Surakarta mayor said after attending the gathering on Saturday (April 27), as quoted by kompas.com.
An invitation for Jokowi also came from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), currently led by his youngest son Kaesang Pangarep.
Once proclaimed as a “millennial party” that fought for youth interests, the party has shifted its brand to be the guardian of “Jokowism”.
Kaesang, a political greenhorn who took over the PSI’s chairmanship only days after joining the party, made clear that he was not interested in talking about other parties’ internal affairs when asked about his father’s exit from the PDI-P.
However, he asserted that his father would be welcome to join the PSI, which failed to secure enough votes to get any seat at the House of Representatives in the February election.
Jokowi’s political influence could potentially diminish once Prabowo is inaugurated as the new president in October, forcing him to find a new political vehicle to protect his reputation once his presidency ends, said political analyst Ujang Komarudin from Jakarta’s Al-Azhar University.
“Joining a party helps ensure Jokowi has a fortress to protect him and his family from political opponents after leaving office. He will be targeted if he no longer holds power, which functions as his shield,” Ujang said.
A position within Golkar, the second-biggest party in the next House period after the PDI-P, might be the most strategic post-presidency position for Jokowi, according to Agung Baskoro, executive director of Trias Politika Strategis.
“Golkar would have a sizeable influence, especially in the legislature, and can act to counterbalance Prabowo’s leadership despite of being in the ruling camp,” he said.
Agung predicted that Jokowi may obtain a strategic position in Golkar, such as within the party’s board of patrons or advisory board, as he may “face great resistance” should he pursue the party’s chairman position.
Talks about Jokowi potentially joining the upcoming race for Golkar’s chairmanship during a party congress later this year have made the rounds amid reports that he was seeking to take over the country’s oldest party.
Should Jokowi join Golkar, the party may benefit from having him, who is widely seen as the kingmaker behind Prabowo’s presidential victory, allowing the party to “strengthen its bargaining position within Prabowo’s ruling coalition, Agung said.
“Golkar may end up having more leverage than Prabowo’s political vehicle of Gerindra Party when it comes to decision-making within the ruling coalition, such as cabinet portfolios,” he continued. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
