By: Ahmad Harris *
Once again, Sandiaga Uno became a byword in the community. His insinuation towards the Prabowo-Sandi supporting coalition party namely PAN, Demokrat and PKS was quite fantastic and was able to attract attention. Because, in the announcement of income at the Media Center Prabowo-Sandiaga, Sandiaga Uno delivered details of the income and expenditure funds used. According to him, the total BPN campaign collected in the period September 23 to December 28 2018 reached Rp. 54 billion. Around Rp. 39.5 billion came from Sandi’s personal pocket, Rp. 13.05 billion from Prabowo and Rp. 1.3 billion from Gerindra. While PAN, PKS and Demokrat have not contributed at all.
The announcement seemed to insinuate the party that had not contributed even though Sandiaga Uno had provided substantial funds. The statement was like a strong signal for the coalition party supporting Prabowo-Sandi to immediately make a contribution considering the 2019 presidential election is getting closer. Unfortunately, the satire was brushed aside by the three parties. Andi Arief, representing the Democrats, said that Sandiaga Uno should have helped campaign funds because he had promised. Likewise, PKS argues that there is no obligation for political parties to help with campaign funds. In line with the PKS and Demokrat, PAN said that it was focusing on Pileg rather than the Presidential Election.
Basically, the reason for the party makes sense and logic. Indeed, coalition parties do not have any obligation to contribute. Moreover, vice president Prabowo was not from one of the coalition parties so there was no sense of responsibility to support campaign funds. It can be said that Prabowo has taken the blunder step by choosing Sandiaga Uno. The emergence of Sandiaga Uno as Vice President indirectly made Gerindra as the only bearer directly from the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Perhaps, the lure of Sandiaga Uno over the funds made Prabowo blind that he needed help from other large parties. Of course it will not be possible for the big party to support all out if there are no cadres who are directly involved in the presidential election.
Based on the chaotic phenomena of this campaign fund, it appears that the Prabowo-Sandi coalition is in a period of relationship breakdown. The coalition party is no longer harmonious in carrying out and fighting for the victory of Prabowo-Sandi. It is not impossible, the coalition party also plays a double standard politics to maintain electability and gain seats in the legislature. Through this incident, the public could see that the struggle that was often echoed by PKS, PAN, Democrats was a mere figment. How could the party win Prabowo Sandi request that the community contribute five million per person while the supporting party is not willing to contribute even one rupiah.
Without realizing Sandi’s sarcasm and the response of the bearer party, it shows that the struggle that has been echoed is only for the interests of the party, not all out to win Prabowo Sandi. This chaotic issue of campaign funds became the momentum of Prabowo Sandi’s fall as a candidate pair who was not solid and supported by his own coalition. Therefore, the community must begin to take a stand, whether it is supporting a partner who is not solid and based solely on personal interests or instead supports a partner who is solid and oriented to the interests of the state. If the choice is right, Indonesia will surely progress and develop.
*) FISIP students at the Dharma Agung University