Jakarta. The National Awakening Party (PKB) may nominate a candidate other than Anies Baswedan for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. This comes after Baswedan expressed his desire for a hiatus from politics following his loss in the presidential election.

PKB is a member of a three-party coalition that supported Anies’ presidential bid, with its chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar, serving as his running mate.

Muhaimin said on Thursday that Anies has yet to register his candidacy with PKB for the Jakarta election.

“He hasn’t submitted an application to us, but our door remains open to him until the deadline,” Muhaimin said in Jakarta.

The party has received applications from Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah -- who is also a PKB executive -- and former Tangerang Regent Ahmed Zaki Iskandar for its nomination, Muhaimin added.

When asked if PKB will prioritize Anies for the nomination, Muhaimin declined to respond.

Anies, who was elected Jakarta governor in 2017, ran for president in the February 14 election, where he lost to Prabowo Subianto.

The National Democratic Party (Nasdem), another key supporter in his presidential bid, has pledged to support Anies if he decides to seek reelection in Jakarta.

On Thursday, Anies said that he required "a short pause from politics."

Add as a preferred source on Google +