Surya Paloh on Permanent Coalition Proposal: Worth Considering, No Objection

NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh has responded to Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia’s proposal for a permanent coalition, saying he has no objection to the idea.

“A permanent coalition is certainly worth considering. There’s no problem with it, but we haven’t made a decision yet. Considering it is a good thing,” Surya Paloh said at NasDem Tower in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Saturday (21/2/2026).

Paloh said NasDem had not yet reached a decision on the permanent coalition. However, he emphasised that the primary objective must be progress in national and state affairs.

“Once again, the most essential thing is: what is our grand goal? The answer is simple — our progress as a nation and state. Who does this involve? All of us,” he said.

He argued that divisions based on ethnicity, religion or social status must be set aside in the interest of unity. He warned that failure to achieve unity would be a sign of regression.

“When we speak of all of us, then the compartmentalisation that occurs due to differences in ethnicity, religion, social background and so forth — these should be made secondary. If we cannot eliminate them entirely, the ideal is to stop thinking in those terms altogether,” Paloh said.

“It’s not about denouncing the right or the left, declaring ourselves the greatest while calling others the worst. That would be a sign not of progress, but of moving far backwards,” he added.

Paloh said the nation’s founders would be saddened if Indonesia were to experience regression. He argued that too much energy is being expended on mutual blame.

“The founders of this nation, the senior national figures, would all be heartbroken. They would be disappointed. Because we, as the succeeding generation following in the stages they traversed, are not becoming greater — that is what it would mean,” Paloh said.

“Our seniors certainly want us to be greater. Just as we hope our children and grandchildren will be greater than us. This is what should be our shared concern. This nation needs that touch. We are wasting far too much energy on blaming one another,” he added.

Furthermore, Paloh said the month of Ramadan should be used to its fullest, particularly for evaluation and self-reflection.

“Now is the time, in this holy month of Ramadan, for evaluation and introspection. It is not easy to judge others’ faults, yet we are so reluctant to find fault with ourselves,” he said.

The permanent coalition concept was originally put forward by Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia. The proposal was also among the points agreed upon at Golkar’s National Leadership Meeting.

“The Golkar Party is pushing for a transformation of political cooperation patterns — from mere tactical electoral coalitions towards the formation of a Permanent Coalition that is ideological and strategic, based on shared platforms and policy agendas,” Golkar chairman Bahlil Lahadalia said in a written statement.

Bahlil explained that the rationale behind forming a permanent coalition is to maintain continuity in long-term national development. Golkar seeks political stability throughout the governance process.

“This Permanent Coalition is not built solely to win presidential contests, but is to be institutionalised as a form of binding political cooperation in parliament and government,” Bahlil said.