Gerindra and PDIP Eye Reconciliation, Strengthening Ties in Post-Election Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of the Gerindra Party Central Leadership Council (DPP) Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said there should be a reconciliation between the Gerindra Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) because the two parties' relationship has never been different.

"We have been communicating well, cross-party and parliamentary, between Gerindra and PDIP," said Dasco, who is also Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) RI, at his residence in Jakarta on Thursday, April 11, 2024, as quoted by Antara.

He said good communication applies to various other parties, including the National Awakening Party (PKB).

"Our communication signals with the PKB are also good, but we cannot say it here yet," he said.

Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party Habiburokhman said the same thing. He considered that Gerindra's relationship with PDIP is very good, especially between Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and PDIP DPP Chairperson Puan Maharani, both in terms of party and parliament, where Puan is also the Chairperson of the Indonesian Parliament.

Habiburokhman said Dasco and Puan often communicate in parliament, especially at the DPR Plenary Meeting. Communication was carried out using the Palembang language, which shows familiarity and very personal closeness.

"Pak Dasco and Mbak Puan have very good communication. Both of them are also leaders of the two coalitions," said Habiburokhman at Dasco's residence.

Embracing Politics

Thus, he believes that good communication between Dasco and Puan will accelerate the reconciliation of the two parties.

According to Habiburokhman, Gerindra Chairman and current president-elect Prabowo Subianto also has a strong spirit of reconciliation, in line with the "embracing politics" run by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi so far.

He said Prabowo considered reconciliation to be one of Jokowi's great qualities as a leader.

"So indeed, Mr. Prabowo told us that he learned a lot about leadership from Mr. Jokowi," he said.

Prabowo and Megawati Meeting Plan

Previously, Gerindra sent a positive signal regarding the discourse of meeting Prabowo Subianto and PDIP Chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri. Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the plan for the two figures to meet would occur in the Eid atmosphere.

"We are communicating (the meeting between Prabowo and Megawati) in the Eid al-Fitr gathering. Communication between fellow children of the nation as easterners is normal," Dasco said at Kertanegara, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Gerindra has established communication with PDIP to bring Prabowo and Megawati together. The communication has been ongoing for some time now after the February 14, 2024 presidential election. Both camps are looking for momentum to hold the political meeting.

Dasco was reluctant to elaborate on when exactly the meeting of both party chairpersons would occur. A senior official of the Prabowo supporting coalition party said that the meeting between Megawati and Prabowo was being tried to be accelerated. Initially, the meeting was predicted to take place after the trial of the election results dispute at the Constitutional Court was over.

According to Dasco, Gerindra is still seeing developments. Meanwhile, PDIP Central Leadership Council Chairman Ahmad Basarah said the meeting between Megawati and Prabowo would only take place after the election dispute hearing at the Constitutional Court ended. He admitted that the ‘Bull Party’ was still focused on monitoring the process at the Constitutional Court.

"Let's wait for the momentum of friendship that is state politics after the PHPU (dispute over general election results) at the Constitutional Court is over," said Basarah after the Idulfitri prayer at the At-Taufiq Mosque, Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

YOHANES MAHARSO JOHARSOYO

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