"Jokowi will select his vice presidential candidate on his own. This proves that he is not a person who is easily dictated to," Effendi Simbolon said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Chairman Effendi Simbolon confirmed that the party does not dictate to its presidential candidate, Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi.

"Jokowi will select his vice presidential candidate on his own. This proves that he is not a person who is easily dictated to," Effendi said, during a discussion entitled, "Whats Next, Indonesia" here on Thursday.

Effendis remark has again refuted the issue of whether Jokowi is a puppet presidential candidate, which was raised prior to the April 9, 2014 legislative general election.

Some questioned whether Jokowi is a candidate who can be easily ruled by his superior, Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Meanwhile, PDIP Deputy Secretary General Achmad Basarah reiterated here on Friday (April 4) that statements made by cadres of other parties, that Joko Widodo is a puppet presidential candidate, are misleading.

Relating to whether a coalition might be created among political parties after the legislative election, Effendi said that PDIP is open to discussions with other parties.

But political discussions are best conducted with political parties that have ideological similarities, he noted.

"It should be clear. Our ideology is Pancasila (the states five principles), then we will be hand in hand with a party that has the same ideology," he pointed out.

In addition, PDIP Deputy Secretary General Achmad Basarah explained last Friday that Article 6A point 2 of the 1945 Constitution stipulated that the presidential or vice presidential candidate pair-ups should be proposed by political parties, or a coalition of political parties, before the election is held.

"Based on the Constitution, all presidential and vice presidential candidates should be based on the proposal of a political party," he asserted.

The Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) led the voting in the Indonesian legislative elections on Wednesday, garnering 19.1 percent of votes as of 5.30 p.m., according to a CSIS and Cyrus Network survey.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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