Antasari Azhar May End Up Joining PDI-P, Secretary General Claims
Jakarta. Hasto Kristianto, the secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, claimed on Sunday (29/01) that the former chairman of antigraft agency KPK Antasari Azhar — who was convicted for murdering a businessman and sentenced to 18 years in what many think was a trumped-up charge — may end up at his party after he was officially granted clemency by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
On Friday, Antasari attended the second Jakarta gubernatorial election debate as a supporter of the incumbents Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat. PDI-P, as well as the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), are backing Ahok and Djarot.
"We discussed many things at the debate. Antasari told me a lot of his values match PDI-P's principles," Hasto said, as reported by state news agency Antara.
PDI-P is a nationalist party which has always traditionally supported the Marhaenist ideology of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno — also the father of PDI-P's matriarch Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Marhaenism supports the ideas of social welfare and social justice as seen from the ordinary people's point of view.
Hasto confirmed rumors that Antasari and PDI-P are in discussion to establish a more concrete partnership in politics.
"If Antasari is willing to join us, we'll roll out the red carpet. I've told him that," Hasto said.
Rumors of PDI-P’s plan to recruit Antasari surfaced after he attended PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri’s 70th birthday party and met with President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace.
Rumors have it that Antasari might become PDI-P's candidate in the South Sumatra gubernatorial election.
Many people believe Antasari was framed for the murder of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, a director at state-owned company Putra Rajawali Banjaran. The evidence in the case was deemed by many experts to be insufficient to secure a conviction.
Even Nasruddin's brother Andi Zulkarnaen has said on many occasions that he believed Antasari was innocent.
Antasari, who served as Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman from 2007 to 2009, was released on parole in November last year after seven and a half years in prison – or two-thirds of his 18-year jail term for the murder of the businessman.
Jokowi granted clemency to Antasari on Jan. 16, which was confirmed with an official letter delivered to the South Jakarta Court on Monday.
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