REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Director of the Independent Survey Institute of the Nusantara (LSIN), Yasin Mohammad said based on the previous general elections since 1999, the nationalist and religious figures always won. However, Yasin saw the candidates who will be running in the 2019 General Election did not have those two combination.

Joko Widodo, for instance, was supported by Nasdem, Golkar, PPP, Hanura and PKPI. "So far, we have not found nationalist-religious candidates who can win the elections, both presidential and regional," said Yasin.

He explained when former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) won the election with Boediono, they were called as nationalist figures. However, Yasin assessed SBY at that time also gained support from religious groups.

Yasin said many people currently are very sensitive with ethnicity, religion, and race (SARA) and religion issues. Jokowi should choose the right partner to accompany him as vice presidential candidate in 2019 General Election. "If not, his electability would be slipped and benefited his rival," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Director of Voxpol Center Pangi Syarwi Cahniago said, in addition to the religious figure, Jokowi will certainly look at other figures that might came from the nationalist, military, etc. It depends on the needs of Jokowi after assessing the turmoil in the community. Therefore, he could be looking for a strong figure in eastern part of Indonesia, similar to the decision he made when choosing Jusuf Kalla (JK).

The appointment of Jokowi's vice presidential candidate will determine his fate in the election. It could seen in 2014 presidential election, when he faced Prabowo. JK was said as the right choice, because he is a figure that can go into many circles of society, started from businessmen, Muslims, and eastern Indonesia.

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