Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto called the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) “brothers and sisters” on Monday, saying that both sides were getting along just fine despite not forming a coalition.

Prabowo, who serves as the Gerindra party chairman, had just launched a nationwide rural cooperative program aimed at cutting the food distribution chain. It was during the launching ceremony that the politician touched on Gerindra and PDI-P’s ties. 

“I believe everyone shares the intention of wanting to make Indonesia better and more prosperous. And for our country to be truly independent, a country that can stand on its own two feet. That’s our founding father Soekarno’s motto. He belongs to us all,” Prabowo said in East Java's Klaten.

“He is my father, too. If you cut my body, Marhaenism would perhaps flow out,” the retired army general said, referring to Soekarno’s political ideology. He then went on to say: “Gerindra and PDI-P are actually brothers and sisters.”

The amicable statement, however, did not mean that PDI-P was joining Prabowo's coalition.

“The West has taught us how in democracies, it'd be best not to have one single coalition. There should be someone who stays out [of the government] to correct us,” Prabowo stated.

PDI-P to date is the only major party that has stayed out of Prabowo's giant cabinet. During the 2024 elections, PDI-P backed Former Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo in a three-horse race against Prabowo and Ex-Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. Acting as PDI-P’s matriarch is Former President and Soekarno’s daughter Megawati Soekarnoputri. The party famous for its bull logo also takes the lion’s share at the House of Representatives. Megawati’s daughter and PDI-P senior politician Puan Maharani has remained as the House Speaker since 2019. Puan was also present at the rural cooperatives launch.

Prabowo received the backing of a coalition of 10 parties when he campaigned for president in 2024. The Gerindra politician has appointed his key supporters, including Airlangga Hartarto and Bahlil Lahadalia of the Golkar (Functional Group Party), to join his cabinet. Zulkifli Hasan, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), is now Prabowo’s chief food affairs minister—a strategic position in Prabowo’s government.

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