© Twitter/@KemensosRI
Brilio.net/en - Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa has recently stated that she is ready to run in next years East Java Gubernatorial Election.
Khofifah's keenness was expressed while attending the Family Hope Program (PKH) in Tongas Subdistrict, Probolinggo, on Saturday.
"I am personally ready. But, like what I've said earlier, as I am still in my current position, [running] would require a thorough consideration, she said.
Furthermore, Khofifah said that she couldn't rely only on predictions whether shell get the vote in the election.
"[Everything] can't be done in an instant. [It] needs time to think and so forth," she added.
Reportedly, a number of parties including Golkar and National Democratic Party (Nasdem) had expressed their interest to endorse Khofifah in the upcoming gubernatorial election. Even Golkar was committed to aid her to lobby her current boss, President Joko Widodo, if she agrees to declare her nomination in the upcoming election.
Nonetheless, Khofifah's movement had apparently caused a little to big commotion in National Awakening Party (PKB) which shares similar supporter base as Khofifah's.
Through the party's chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, the party gave their respond to Khofifah's maneuver.
"But, as a fellow Nadhlatul Ulama member, activist, and big family, we expect NU to only have one candidate. So, there'll be no competition that leads to conflict among fellow NU member," said Muhaimin at the PKB headquarter, Central Jakarta, Sunday.
Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) itself is not a political party, but is the countrys biggest Muslim organization with most of its members or supporters residing in Central and East Java. In terms of political affiliation, many of NU members are supporters of PKB as the party was founded by Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesias 4th president and also one of NUs most celebrated clerics.
Even so, Muhaimin has no power to stop Khofifah to nominate herself.
"That's the right of every citizen. If she insists, we cant hold her," said Muhaimin.
In May, PKB has granted a ticket for the current East Java deputy governor Saifullah Yusuf to run in the 2018 East Java Election. Muhaimin himself earlier claimed that the decision to nominate Saifullah was based on the order of NU ulemas.
(brl/red)
