TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Democrat Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) said that the national leadership meeting (Rapimnas) called that Democrat will maintain its neutral stance, not setting a coalition axis with other parties in the upcoming presidential election on July 9.
The decision was based on a survey, filled in by 318 participants of the meeting. The result of the survey suggests four option, namely joining the National Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), joining the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), creating a nex axis, and maintaining neutral position.
"Democrat's preference this year is to take no side, meaning that [we] will not join either Joko Widodo or Prabowo Subianto," said SBY, upon reading the result of the survey. "As many as 56 percents of the respondents chose not join any axis."
However, SBY added that the definite stance will be determined on May 20, the deadline of President and VP candidate submission to the General Election Commission. "If God allows it, on Tuesday I will announce the definite and final stance of the party in relation to this year's presidential election," he said.
PRIHANDOKO
