In an unexpected twist, Anies Baswedan, the potential presidential candidate backed by the Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP), has chosen Muhaimin Iskandar, the Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), as his running mate for the 2024 Presidential Election.
This decision has sparked an outrage within the Democrat Party, which claims to have been sidelined during the selection process.
The Democrat Party expressed disappointment over not being actively involved in the decision-making process for Anies’s vice-presidential candidate. Consequently, they have announced the withdrawal of their support for Anies and declared their departure from the Coalition for Change.
One of the key sources of disappointment for the Democrat Party is that Anies had previously selected their Chairman, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), as his vice-presidential candidate.
The party was also displeased with the indirect communication of this decision, conveyed through Team 8. Which consists of representatives from NasDem, Democrats, PKS, and Anies’ supporters.
Andi Mallarangeng, the Secretary of the Democratic Party’s DPP High Council said Team 8 is automatically dissolved because his party had withdrawn support for presidential candidate Anies Baswedan in the 2024 presidential election.
Teuku Riefky Harsya, the Secretary-General of the Democrat Party, released an official statement regarding Anies Baswedan’s choice of Muhaimin Iskandar as the vice-presidential candidate.
This statement was made on August 31, 2023. Riefky stated that Anies’s decision was accepted due to the initiative of Surya Paloh, the Chairman of the NasDem Party, and added that the Democrat Party had felt compelled to accept this fait accompli.
Furthermore, Herzaky Mahendra Putra, the Coordinator of the Spokesperson Team at the Central Executive Board of the Democrat Party, noted that Anies had not directly communicated his decision to cooperate with NasDem and PKB and to appoint Muhaimin Iskandar as his running mate to the Democrat Party.
This is despite the Democrat Party being an integral part of the Coalition for Change, which supports Anies Baswedan alongside NasDem and PKS.
Additionally, former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) expressed his disappointment with Anies Baswedan’s communication style.
SBY was disappointed that Anies did not personally inform him about the selection of Muhaimin as the vice-presidential candidate.Â
According to SBY, during a visit to Cikeas on August 25, Anies had assured him that he would announce the presidential and vice-presidential pairings as previously agreed. SBY also expressed his surprise at what he perceived as Anies Baswedan’s betrayal of the Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP).
Despite the political turbulence, Sandiaga Uno, the Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Election Winning Body (Bappilu) of the United Development Party (PPP), has called for a positive reception of the new presidential pairing.
He emphasized the importance of celebrating democracy with unity and collaboration, highlighting that democratic contests are not just about seeking positions but also about serving and working together for the nation’s progress.
