October 16, 2023
JAKARTA – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s largest supporter group has come out in favor of retired general Prabowo Subianto for the presidency in 2024, even though Jokowi has yet to endorse his defense minister and former electoral rival for the nation’s top office.
ProJo, a 7-million-strong volunteer group that has backed Jokowi since his first presidential bid in 2014, declared its support for Prabowo on Saturday, in the strongest signal yet that the President is backing his erstwhile rival, whom he defeated in two bitterly fought elections.
Speaking at a press conference at Prabowo’s private residence in South Jakarta, ProJo chief Budi Arie Setiadi said Prabowo fit the description of the ideal successor that Jokowi had described: a courageous leader who was willing to make crucial decisions when they were most needed.
“We conclude that what the president meant was Prabowo Subianto,” ProJo leader Budi Arie Setiadi said at the press conference. “He is a brave man and is committed to the welfare of Indonesians.”
The endorsement came amid speculation that the President was leaning toward supporting Prabowo as his successor, even though his own political party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had nominated former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo for the presidency.
ProJo suggested that its endorsement of Prabowo had received the blessing of the President himself, claiming that it would always align itself with Jokowi, despite his refusal to publicly reveal his preferred candidate.
“What is already obvious does not need more explanation,” Budi said when asked if Jokowi had instructed the group to back Prabowo’s candidacy.
Projo declared its endorsement after President Jokowi asked the group’s members not to press him to announce his favored successor during the opening of its national meeting at the Indonesia Arena Indoor stadium earlier that day.
“Don’t rush me to announce my choice today because the candidate is not here at the moment,” Jokowi told Projo members. “There’s no need to hurry. When the time is right, everyone will know.”
Read also: ProJo hints support for Prabowo ahead of declaration
Prabowo, who had previously confirmed his attendance, was conspicuously absent from the rally. A number of party leaders backing his candidacy, including Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Zulkifli Hasan, Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and some Gerindra executives, showed up for the event.
Also present was President Jokowi’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 36, who has been touted as a possible running mate for Prabowo. Gibran’s stayed for about 15 minutes to greet the crowd and left before his father arrived.
ProJo’s endorsement announcement was supposed to take place during the national meeting at the stadium, but the group changed the location to Prabowo’s private residence at the last minute, with ProJo’s Budi saying the venue was changed to “prevent the announcement from being made in the presence of the President”.
The endorsement is the strongest indication yet that Jokowi favors Prabowo to lead the nation once he steps down next year, Trias Politika Strategis analyst Agung Baskoro said.
“The attendance of political bigwigs supporting Prabowo’s candidacy, who have proclaimed themselves ‘team Jokowi’, at ProJo’s event already speaks for itself regarding how Jokowi plays an important role in marshalling support for Prabowo,” Agung told The Jakarta Post.
However, a seemingly “odd” string of events leading up to the declaration, Agung added, indicated that Jokowi was still being cautious and taking his time to play his cards right.
“Gibran’s brief appearance and Jokowi’s refusal to unveil his candidate was a sign that Jokowi was still waiting to see how the ongoing effort to clear Gibran’s way to enter the race would eventually play out,” Agung said.
The Constitutional Court is expected to rule on Monday on whether to lower the age minimum for vice presidential candidates from 40 to 35, a decision that could allow Gibran to join the 2024 race.
Read also: Constitutional Court to rule on president, VP candidates’ minimum age
Jokowi also appeared to be avoiding provoking a strong reaction from his own party, the PDI-P, as “it is not impossible that Jokowi will turn around and throw his support behind the PDI-P” should Gibran end up not running for vice president, Agung noted.
The PDI-P has been quiet about the issue and appears to be distancing itself from Jokowi as it prepares for the possibility of competing in the upcoming race without the support of the popular president, whom party chair Megawati Soekarnoputri has called a “party official” and whose allegiance the PDI-P continues to question.
When asked about Gibran’s potential pairing with Prabowo on Saturday, PDI-P secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto responded with a smile and claimed to have sent Gibran “an interesting video” with “great affection” earlier that day.
The video, Hasto said, had to do with the “meaning of struggle”. (ahw)