Jakarta. The Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra, Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, and National Mandate Party, or PAN, have agreed to jointly contest the 2018 gubernatorial elections in five provinces, state-run news agency Antara reported on Monday (25/12).

The cooperation will take place in West Java, Central Java, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan and North Maluku.

"The agreement to cooperate was preceded by a meeting between PKS chairman Sohibul Iman, Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto and PAN chairman Zulkifli Hasan at the PKS central office in Jakarta on Sunday," PKS spokeswoman Ledia Hanifa told Antara by telephone.

According to her, Sohibul said the coalition is based on mutual vision and understanding that has been established to contest the elections.

The principle of mutual understanding also means that the three parties do not necessarily have to cooperate in the 2018 simultaneous regional elections, both at provincial and district levels.

"According to Prabowo, it is not taboo if the three political parties work together in one region, and then have a different choice in another region," Ledia said.

She added that although the PKS has proposed Ahmad Syaikhu, chairman of its West Java branch, as a deputy gubernatorial candidate in the province, the party would officially announce its endorsement on Wednesday after conducting talks with the two other parties.

Indonesia will hold simultaneous regional elections in June 2018.