Prabowo Boasts Supports from President Jokowi and Former President SBY in 2024 Election

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Minister for Defense and presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto, is confident in his third attempt to become president as he is getting support from President Joko Widodo and former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). 

"The 6th president is supporting and beside me, alongside the 7th president who is also supporting and beside me," said Prabowo on Tuesday. The video was broadcasted on Democratic Party's YouTube channel.

The former President SBY, the leading figure in Democratic Party, was previously supporting Anies Baswedan. Their political relationship fell apart after SBY felt betrayed when Anies abruptly chose a VP candidate without consulting him.

There was a political assumption that Anies would have chosen SBY's son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), as his VP.

Jokowi and Family

Prabowo's claim for Jokowi's support is at odd with the president's political party, the Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) which endorses Governor Ganjar Pranowo of Middle Java. But Jokowi's increasingly political family are all supporting Prabowo.

But Prabowo chose President Jokowi's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his VP candidate. Gibran had been too young to be VP, at least until last month when his uncle (then chief justice of Constitutional Court, Anwar Usman) revised the age limit for presidential election in a controversial decision.

Usman has been removed as the chief justice, although he retains his position as the associate justice.

Jokowi's youngest child, Kaesang Pangarep, also supports his elder brother. The 28-year-old Kaesang was recently appointed as the leader of Solidarity Party of Indonesia, a "youngsters' party" which failed in the last parliamentary election despite huge spending.

The son-in-law of President Jokowi, Bobby Nasution, also joins Prabowo's campaign team. Bobby is the mayor of Medan in North Sumatera province. Both Bobby and Gibran then decided to leave PDI-P which launched their political career.