REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice Chairman of National Mandate Party (PAN) Viva Yoga Mauladi supported the idea to create the third axis in presidential election 2019. The discourse to bring up new leader in the election was stated by the Democratic Party's General Chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).
"If Democratic Party and SBY are serious in pushing the establishment of new axis or the third axis, I think it is good. People will have a lot more alternatives and the presidential election will be more dynamic," Viva said at Parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (April 23).
According to Viva, PAN certainly would not support one pair of candidate in presidential election 2019. He assessed the people have to be given enough options for their future leader.
"The candidate should not be one pair only. There should be more than one. There should be two or three pairs," he said.
Nevertheless, PAN has not decided yet to whom their support will be addressed. PAN has not yet chose incumbent's axis, Gerindra-Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) axis, or creating the third axis.
"About coalition, we have to discuss it together with all coalition parties in a platform built for the sake of the society, nation and state," the deputy chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Earlier, in his political safari to Banten, West Java, SBY stated that there will be a new leader in the presidential election 2019. However, he did not give any detail on the figure.
SBY only said that the party will pair a presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate who understood the people's aspiration. "I will pair them later. God willing (Insya Allah), there will be a new leader who is trustworthy, intelligent, and care to think of the people," SBY said.
On March 6, PAN Central Board chairman, Yandri Susanto said new axis coalition could rise in 2019 presidential election. Although there is 20 percent presidential threshold (PT) prerequisite that allows every political party to form a coalition and carry the presidential candidate in presidential candidacy, he believed the chance is big for a new axis coalition.
Yandri said the new axis will be an alternative to the two existing coalition of supporters of the incumbent president Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto as Gerindra Party chief patron.
Meanwhile, election observer who also Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) deputy secretary-general, Girindra Sandino said the discourse of Democratic Party to form the third axis in 2019 presidential election is feasible. He assessed it requires commitment of the other parties, which are National Mandate Party (PAN) and National Awakening Party (PKB).
"I think the third axis that might be formed by Democratic Party is a natural thing in our democratic contestation, although some believe the coalition outside Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto is difficult to be realized. Nevertheless, politics is dynamic" said Girindra on Friday (March 9).