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As PDI-P says it still backs government, Jokowi urged to found new party
Jakarta Post - February 4, 2015
The PDI-P's Puan Maharani, who is also Jokowi's coordinating human development and culture minister, reiterated the party's support of the Jokowi administration.
"We will always support Pak Jokowi and Pak Jusuf Kalla," Puan said on the sidelines of a meeting at the House on Tuesday. "We are still with Pak Jokowi until today. Likewise, Pak Jokowi is also still with the KIH [Great Indonesia Coalition]," she added.
The PDI-P has been in hot water over its firm calls for Jokowi to inaugurate Budi, who has been named a suspect in a bribery and gratuity case, amid a public outcry to reject the former adjutant of PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The party's rejection of canceling Budi's nomination has prevented Jokowi from reaching a decision on the matter.
The ongoing war of words between Jokowi's officials and PDI-P politicians regarding the matter has led to suspicion that the PDI-P may withdraw its support of Jokowi, which will increase opposition to the government in obtaining approval for its policies from the House of Representatives.
Infighting within the party has even encouraged some supporters, particularly those who volunteered to help Jokowi win the election last June, to set up a new party with Jokowi as chairman.
In an interview with The Jakarta Post, Volunteer Front for Jokowi for President (Bara JP) chairman Sihol Manullang said the organization was ready to support Jokowi should he decide to establish a new political party as a consequence of his ongoing dispute with the PDI-P.
"Our attachment to President Jokowi is mainly based on our shared ideological platform. Bara JP is ready to transform into a political party should President Jokowi give us an instruction to do so," he said.
Founded in June 2013, Bara JP was one of the first volunteer organizations established to support the presidential campaign of Jokowi, who was then serving as Jakarta governor. Its first major action was to collect 4 million signatures in a petition for the PDI-P to nominate Jokowi as its presidential candidate.
In its national congress last year, Bara JP, which claims to have branches in 34 provinces and 67 countries, decided to reestablish itself as mass organization following the end of Jokowi's successful presidential bid.
While Puan said Jokowi's right to form his own party should be respected, Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) executive director Muhammad Tri Andika doubted Jokowi's ability to establish a new political party, citing a lack of financial support.
"Without the capital, establishing a new political party is tantamount to political suicide for Jokowi," he said.
Andika suggested Jokowi seek support from the opposition Red-and-White Coalition, which controls the majority of seats in the House, should he insist on quitting the PDI-P.
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