Understanding The Indonesian Unity Party (Perindo) Support to Jokowi

In the first week of August 2017 almost all of the on line medias in Jakarta  to have presented  the  surprise report stating that Perindo Party will support President  Jokowi as the Presidential Candidate in the Presidential Election in 2019.

This news report was apparently responded by the political community   as un-predicted situation   and concurrently to have provoked the various comment and question : first, Perindo has been widely known in its  various social activities, definitely in general Perindo has never been  considered  as a political party. Not  any political statement made by Perindo to be released concerning this surprise news. It was not  clear what is the background  of this development. Second, people tend to be doubt is this news true and tend to consider as rumour. Third, the source of this surprise news is not clear, but it is said this  political development will be declared officially by Perindo Party Congress  in December 2017. The question in relation with the spread out  widely  of this news is likely because Perindo is  supported by various strong media news report.

This article is intended to compile the scattered  information  on  Perindo  Party and to predict what likely is the background  of the political attitude  of  Perindo as  publish by various news media .

Political record on Perindo organization reveals the information bellow:   The mass organization   called The Indonesian Unity (Perindo) was  established  on February 24, 2013. The  political party called Perindo Party was established  on February 7, 2015 .The declaration of the establishment was held in   Jakarta Expo Kemayoran.

In the  declaration of the establishment  of Perindo as a political party (February 7, 2014)  to be presence as  Honorary Quests were  the leaders of Political parties   : Chairman of Golkar Party Aburizal  Bakri, Chairman of Hanura Party Wiranto, Chairman of PAN Hatta Rajasa, Chairman of PKS Anis Matta, Chairman of PPP Djan Faridz,  Senior Politician of Golkar Party : Akbar Tandjung and Idrus Marham. Perindo Party was established  by a junior politician to join independently the Presidential Eletion in 2019.

However on  the beginning of August 2017 this idea likely changed. Perindo Party was reported by the news media  will support President Jokowi as the Presidential Candidate in the  Presidential Election in 2019.

Based  on media record completely the history of  Perindo Party could be summarized : The Indonesian  Unity ( Perindo ) as mass organization was established  on February 24, 2013; Perindo as Mass organization to be declared  as the political party  called The Indonesian Unity Party  (Perindo Party) on February  7, 2014.

Perindo Party  was approved by the Ministry of Law  and Human Right  as  legal Political Pary   in Indonesia (M.HH-03.AH.112.01 of  2014  on October  8, 2014. To be permitted  joining  the General Election and  Presidential Elction, The Central  Commission of The General Election will check the actual performance/physical  performance of  Perindo Party. This procedure could belikely finished by Perindo  in  2018.

In the Presidential Election in 2019 it  is applied the  regulation of Presidential Threshold 20% seat or 25 % national votes. In this kind of regulation Perindo definitely could not independently join the Presidential Election in 2019.

In that kind of situation Perindo is of the opinion the new strategy to join the General Election and Presidential Election in 2019, has to be made.

The decision of Perindo  to support President Jokowi as the  Presidential Candidate in the Presidential Election in 2019 is likely the new strategy of Perindo to join Presidntial Election in 2019.

People are now waiting for the Perindo Party National Congress on December 2017 and  the  declaration of Perindo Party to support President Jokowi as the Presidential Candidate  in  the Presidential Election of 2019.

This is likely the situation that has happened until August  2017 and  the   evaluation concludes  the Presidential Threshold of 20% seats or 26 % national vote  is  the background reason  of the changing of the political attitude of  Perindo Party  to support  President Jokowi  as  the  Presdidential Candidate in the Presidential Election in 2019. This situation will likely create the political situation within the Government Coalition becomes warmer.

*) Lieutenant General (Ret) Soedibyo, Political and Security Observer.