Jakarta, ECNETNews – Anies Baswedan expressed surprise at statements from spokespersons of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), who claimed there was a 40-day deadline for him to find coalition partners for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Anies clarified that no such deadline was discussed.
In response to Anies’ denial, PKS Jakarta’s Regional Leadership Council Chairman, Khoirudin, asserted that the party is urging Anies to engage with other political parties, particularly Nasdem and PKB, to support PKS’s proposed gubernatorial ticket of Anies Baswedan and Sohibul Iman.
Khoirudin revealed that PKS President Ahmad Syaikhu has also been actively seeking support from other parties to back Anies as the gubernatorial candidate, with Sohibul Iman as his running mate. However, as of August 4, when contacted by PKS on the matter, Anies was unable to secure any confirmation from Nasdem or PKB regarding their support.
“As of now, both Nasdem and PKB have decided not to support Anies along with Sohibul Iman as candidates,” Khoirudin stated in a voice message on August 12, 2024.
Khoirudin offered a potential solution by suggesting Anies could join PKS as a member, should he have difficulty accepting Sohibul as his vice-gubernatorial candidate. This step, he argued, would facilitate the coalition-building process. “I conveyed to Anies that if he does not accept Sohibul Iman, he could consider becoming a PKS member, thereby allowing the nomination of a vice-gubernatorial candidate from outside the party,” he elaborated.
Despite these proposals, Anies has not accepted the offer and expressed a desire to remain neutral in the negotiations. He had earlier voiced his shock regarding the claims of a deadline for coalition formation. Through a voice recording, Anies denied the existence of a 40-day deadline mentioned by PKS spokespersons, stating that discussions did not include such terms.
“We never discussed timelines such as 40 days or other deadlines for seeking support from other parties. I was surprised to hear PKS representatives in the media mention a 40-day deadline, as this was never part of our discussions,” Anies remarked.
Currently, talks between Anies and PKS are still focused on gaining approval for Sohibul Iman as the vice-gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming Jakarta elections.
