Prabowo Picks Sandiaga Uno as Running Mate in 2019 Presidential Race
Jakarta. Prabowo Subianto announced his candidacy in next year's presidential election late on Thursday night (09/08), when he also revealed that Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno would be his running mate.
The candidate pair is endorsed by Prabowo's Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the National Conscience Party (PAN) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
The Democratic Party, chaired by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, did not announce its support by the time of the announcement, although Prabowo met with the former president at his residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta, twice on Thursday.
However, Yudhoyono declared late last month that the Democratic Party would support Prabowo's 2019 presidential bid.
"Just now, the leaders of three political parties, PKS, PAN and Gerindra, have decided and place their trust in me, Prabowo Subianto, and Sandiaga Salahudin Uno, to go forward as Indonesia's presidential and vice-presidential candidates for 2019-24," Prabowo told journalists a few minutes before midnight.
Like Prabowo, Sandiaga is also a member of Gerindra, but Prabowo said Sandiaga has resigned from his senior position in the party.
Incumbent President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo also announced his candidacy for a second term on Thursday afternoon. He has chosen Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate.
Jokowi and Ma'ruf registered their candidacies with the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Friday morning, while Prabowo and Sandiaga did so in the afternoon.
Both candidate pairs waited until the KPU's Aug. 10 deadline to register. It means Jokowi and Prabowo will be opposing each other for a second time in a presidential election.
During the registration process, Jokowi and Ma'ruf were accompanied by the leaders of the nine political parties in the ruling coalition – the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP), People's Conscience Party (Hanura), National Democratic Party (NasDem), National Awakening Party (PKB), Unity Party (PKPI), Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) and United Indonesia Party (Perindo).
Prabowo and Sandiaga were accompanied by the leaders of the PKS, PAN and Gerindra, while the Democratic Party was represented by its secretary general, Hinca Panjaitan, and Yudhoyono's two sons – Agus Harimukti and Eddi Baskoro.
Speaking after registering with the KPU, Prabowo confirmed that he and Sandiaga are also supported by the Democratic Party and Tommy Suharto's Beringin Karya Party (Berkarya).
The KPU said the required documentation submitted by both candidate pairs was complete and that the next stage will involve a verification process and medical checkups.
A survey carried out by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in July showed that Jokowi's electability remained high at 58.2 percent, compared with Prabowo's, which stood at 26.6 percent.
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