By: Firdaus Arif )*
President Prabowo Subianto, who is also the Chairman of the Gerindra Party, recently expressed his support for the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidate pair for Central Java, Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin, in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. Several parties consider this support to be legitimate and in accordance with existing rules.
According to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Budi Gunawan, President Prabowo’s action of supporting the candidate pair is normal. Budi emphasized that in a democracy, each candidate pair naturally seeks support from various parties to win the election. Therefore, President Prabowo, as the Chairman of the Gerindra Party, has the right to support candidates who align with his party’s political direction.
Budi Gunawan also explained that the moment when the support video was recorded shows President Prabowo acting as a host receiving the Luthfi-Yasin pair who were seeking support. In this capacity, President Prabowo could not refuse guests who came to ask for support. This indicates that his action does not violate the law, as it is a form of political courtesy in line with the constitution.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya, also provided a view in line with Budi Gunawan’s statement. Bima Arya stated that President Prabowo’s step in supporting the Luthfi-Yasin pair does not violate existing rules. According to him, as the Chairman of the Gerindra Party, President Prabowo has the right to support candidate pairs who wish to obtain assistance or support from his party. Bima Arya also affirmed that this action is in accordance with applicable provisions, and there are no significant violations of norms in this context.
Furthermore, the Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, also confirmed that President Prabowo, in his capacity as party chairman, has the right to support candidate pairs in the Regional Elections. According to Hasan Nasbi, this decision does not contradict the rules, especially since the support does not affect the government administration process or state duties carried out by the President. Thus, this statement affirms that the support given by President Prabowo is part of legitimate political freedom in a democracy.
On the other hand, an academic from Al Azhar University Indonesia, Ujang Komarudin, also expressed a similar view. According to Ujang, what President Prabowo did in his support video is not a form of illegal intervention. In his opinion, this support is part of the political freedom possessed by every individual, including President Prabowo.
Ujang added that if the Gerindra Party, led by President Prabowo, has openly supported the Luthfi-Yasin candidate pair, then it is part of the party’s political rights. As the party chairman, President Prabowo has full authority to support the candidate pair he deems appropriate.
Furthermore, Ujang also emphasized that what President Prabowo did is not illegal interference, let alone intervening in the course of the Regional Elections. According to him, giving support is a legitimate action in the context of political participation, as long as it does not violate the provisions in the Regional Election Law. His actions, according to Ujang, cannot be categorized as a violation of law or political ethics because there is no element of coercion against other parties and still adheres to the existing process.
As the Chairman of the Gerindra Party, President Prabowo certainly has the right to support candidate pairs he deems in line with his party’s vision. Additionally, as President, he still has the obligation to ensure that the implementation of the Regional Elections takes place fairly and in accordance with democratic principles. In other words, although President Prabowo provides political support to the Luthfi-Yasin pair, the final decision remains in the hands of the people, who have the right to determine their choice through a free and fair election process.
For many observers, this step also reflects transparency in politics, where the processes and decisions taken by political leaders are not done secretly. The support given by President Prabowo, although expressed through video, shows an open attitude and clear communication with the public regarding the political position of the party he leads. In democracy, this aspect of political communication is very important to ensure that people understand the positions and choices available in the election process.
Overall, President Prabowo’s action of supporting the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidate pair for Central Java is considered part of legitimate political freedom. This is his right as a party chairman who also has influence in the Indonesian political arena. In the context of democracy, everyone has the right to participate in supporting candidates they deem appropriate, as long as these actions are carried out in accordance with applicable provisions and do not interfere with the independence of the electoral process. Thus, President Prabowo’s step does not violate existing rules or norms, but rather is part of the political rights guaranteed by Indonesia’s democratic system.
)* The author is a contributor to Ruang Naca Nusantara