PKS: A Permanent Coalition Must Unite the Will of the People and Political Elites
Jakarta, VIVA – The issue of a permanent coalition to strengthen President Prabowo Subianto's government has resurfaced. PKS president Al Muzammil Yusuf has urged that the discourse not be narrowed into merely serving the interests of political elites.
He made the remarks after attending a communal breaking-of-fast event at NasDem Tower on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
The iftar gathering on the first day of Ramadan was also attended by a number of prominent figures, including Surya Paloh, Anies Baswedan, Jusuf Kalla, Sufmi Dasco, and Puan Maharani.
Muzammil emphasised that the meeting was more Ramadan in spirit than a forum for practical political discussion.
"This is Ramadan — a month of proselytisation, a month of strengthening the nation. What was conveyed by the chairman, Pak Surya Paloh, was fitting. We fill the Ramadan spirit with occasions like this," Muzammil said.
According to him, the iftar gathering served as a means of strengthening unity regardless of party or organisational affiliation.
"We came without regard for party, mass organisation, or anything else — we came to strengthen the nation," he said.
Regarding the possibility of forming a permanent coalition in parliament to support the Prabowo government, Muzammil affirmed there was no formal discussion on the matter during the meeting.
"Formally speaking, there was none. But our spirit is the spirit of mutual cooperation," he stressed.
He emphasised that the spirit of mutual cooperation must not eliminate the functions of criticism and oversight.
"Within mutual cooperation there is correction, there is constructive criticism. It does not mean that because we are all in a coalition, we close off dialogue, close off input, close off criticism — I don't think so," he said.
Muzammil also referenced the wave of demonstrations that occurred last August, as well as protests in other countries such as Nepal and Bulgaria. He reminded the government that it must continue to listen to the voice of the people.
"If a permanent coalition is interpreted in a narrow sense, I think we should learn from the August demonstrations. The protests in Nepal, the protests in Bulgaria — I think we learn that governments anywhere in the world must pay attention to public aspirations," he said.
He affirmed that a permanent coalition should properly mean a coalition that unites the will of elites and the people.
"A permanent coalition is about bringing together the will of the people and the desires of the elites in unity. The elites cannot form a coalition on their own, nor can the people form one on their own," he said.
He made the remarks after attending a communal breaking-of-fast event at NasDem Tower on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
The iftar gathering on the first day of Ramadan was also attended by a number of prominent figures, including Surya Paloh, Anies Baswedan, Jusuf Kalla, Sufmi Dasco, and Puan Maharani.
Muzammil emphasised that the meeting was more Ramadan in spirit than a forum for practical political discussion.
"This is Ramadan — a month of proselytisation, a month of strengthening the nation. What was conveyed by the chairman, Pak Surya Paloh, was fitting. We fill the Ramadan spirit with occasions like this," Muzammil said.
According to him, the iftar gathering served as a means of strengthening unity regardless of party or organisational affiliation.
"We came without regard for party, mass organisation, or anything else — we came to strengthen the nation," he said.
Regarding the possibility of forming a permanent coalition in parliament to support the Prabowo government, Muzammil affirmed there was no formal discussion on the matter during the meeting.
"Formally speaking, there was none. But our spirit is the spirit of mutual cooperation," he stressed.
He emphasised that the spirit of mutual cooperation must not eliminate the functions of criticism and oversight.
"Within mutual cooperation there is correction, there is constructive criticism. It does not mean that because we are all in a coalition, we close off dialogue, close off input, close off criticism — I don't think so," he said.
Muzammil also referenced the wave of demonstrations that occurred last August, as well as protests in other countries such as Nepal and Bulgaria. He reminded the government that it must continue to listen to the voice of the people.
"If a permanent coalition is interpreted in a narrow sense, I think we should learn from the August demonstrations. The protests in Nepal, the protests in Bulgaria — I think we learn that governments anywhere in the world must pay attention to public aspirations," he said.
He affirmed that a permanent coalition should properly mean a coalition that unites the will of elites and the people.
"A permanent coalition is about bringing together the will of the people and the desires of the elites in unity. The elites cannot form a coalition on their own, nor can the people form one on their own," he said.