PDIP Responds, PSI Chair Calls Jokowi a Statesman

PSI DPP Chair Bestari Barus responded to PDIP politician Guntur Romli’s claim that former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was unable to assist PSI during his presidency, let alone after leaving office. Bestari stressed that during his presidency, Jokowi never publicly declared support for PSI despite the party being led by his youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep. He claimed this demonstrated Jokowi’s statesmanship in maintaining national political stability. He claimed that because Jokowi did not explicitly endorse PSI in the 2024 general election, the coattail effect – the political momentum from his presidency – instead benefited PDIP, Jokowi’s former party. ‘Previously, because he never stated his affiliation with PSI – as he is a statesman committed to national political stability, which Guntur Romli apparently fails to grasp – the coattail effect went to his former party, PDI-P,’ Bestari told CNNIndonesia.com on Thursday (28 May). Bestari stated the situation has now changed, with Jokowi repeatedly expressing his willingness to support PSI. He believes Jokowi’s open support will boost PSI’s electability. According to him, voters are now aware that Jokowi is increasingly associated with PSI since leaving office. ‘Even silent voters are beginning to shift, thinking ’Oh, so President Jokowi is now with PSI’,’ he said. Previously, PDIP, the party that previously supported and propelled Jokowi to two electoral victories, commented on reports of Jokowi being appointed as PSI’s Chairman of the Advisory Council. PDIP spokesperson Guntur Romli, known as Gunrom, believes the report will have no impact. He argued that during his presidency, Jokowi failed to secure PSI’s entry into parliament. ‘Logically, if Jokowi couldn’t get PSI into parliament when he was president, how much more so now that he’s no longer in office,’ Gunrom said when contacted on Tuesday (26 May). Besides Jokowi, his son and son-in-law were previously under PDIP’s banner: Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Bobby Nasution. Bobby even led to victory in the 2020 Medan mayoral election in North Sumatra. However, following the Constitutional Court ruling that allowed Gibran to run as Prabowo’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2024 election, the relationship between Jokowi’s family and PDIP has soured. Reports indicate Jokowi and his family have since left PDIP. Bobby, currently North Sumatra’s governor, is also known as a Gerindra party member.