TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Golkar Secretary-General Idrus Marham said that the party is committed to supporting President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the 2019 presidential election even though the decision has little to no effect on its electability rating. The support for Jokowi is final and there will be no more discussion about it, according to him.
Idrus said that the party’s support for Jokowi is based on the president's performance. “We are now discussing what we could do to ensure that Golkar’s support for Jokowi in the 2019 presidential election will provide added value,” he said at Sultan Hotel on October 5.
He has called on all parties not to solely seek the benefit of endorsing a presidential candidate. “We are talking about the nation. We have to put the public interest above all others; we believe that if we do that the people will be smart enough [to support Golkar as well],” he said.
Golkar Party expects Jokowi to win the 2019 presidential race with 65 percent votes.
The party is also not fussed about a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) saying that Jokowi’s electability rating has no effect on his supporting parties, excluding PDIP. Idrus said that the electability ratings of all parties are declining.
Golkar sits in the second place in the electability chart with 11.4 percent, below PDIP with 27.1 percent. Meanwhile, Golkar election campaign coordinator Nusron Wahid said he is not satisfied with the survey results. “We want to become the winner,” he said.
AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI