TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prabowo Subianto`s arrival at the grave of Sumitro Djojohadikusumo went unnoticed by Subari, a caretaker at the Karet Bivak Public Cemetery, Jakarta, whose residence borders the cemetery wall. About two weeks ago, Sumitro`s son paid his respects to his late father at the cemetery. No one had informed Subari of the visit. Usually before coming, his adjutant lets me know by phone, said Subari, 67, on Friday last week.
On that particular day, Prabowo did not go right up to the grave but instead kept some distance. From where he stood he could still see his fathers final resting place. The general chair of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party often does this when visiting so as to not create any commotion.
A high-ranking Gerindra Party official said that Prabowo went there with less than 10 others that day, riding in two cars, including a white Toyota Vellfire.
After saying a prayer for Sumitro, one person accompanying Prabowo asked, "Don't you want to continue Sumitro`s aspirations to improve this nation?" Prabowo fell silent. According to the same source, he then said, "If it is Gods will, I am ready to become a presidential candidate".
This is the answer they had been waiting for. Some immediately kissed the hand of the former Commander General of the Special Forces Command.
Gerindra Party Secretary-General Ahmad Muzani verified Prabowos visit to his fathers grave. "I wasn`t there. However, I heard about it from an adjutant," said Muzani on Wednesday last week.
Read: Gerindra Slams Minister for Rumors on Prabowo Pairing with Jokowi
Less than a week after the trip to the cemetery, on Wednesday two weeks ago, at the Gerindra National Coordination Meeting in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, Prabowo stated his willingness to carry out the party's mandate by becoming a presidential candidate. I accept this decision as an assignment, a mandate, an order, and I am ready to carry it out, said Prabowo, which was met with the jubilant cheers of thousands of cadres who had been waiting for such a statement for months.
Calls for Prabowo to once again become a presidential candidate had been made by Gerindra cadres some time ago. In a national conference and cadre get-together held in October 2017, participants at the event asked Prabowo to run again. However, he gave no definite answer. At that time, Prabowo just sent a veiled message, asking if the position of a president could improve the nation. If yes, then you all should begin making preparations, said Ahmad Muzani, imitating Prabowo.
That vague reply created some dissension among Gerindra elites. Three party officials who wished to remain anonymous said that before the declaration was made on Wednesday last week, there was a group in Gerindra which was trying to prevent Prabowo's presidential nomination. The main consideration was that Prabowo's electability was too far below that of Joko Widodo's. An Indo Barometer survey released last January, for instance, shows Prabowo's electability at just 22.3 percent, less than half of Jokowi's, who was at 48.8 percent.
Read the full article in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
