REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he had continued to maintain sound communication with President Joko Widodo. However, they had yet to discuss on the latter's running mate for the 2019 presidential election.
"The communication is carried out every day. However, we have yet to speak about who will be the (vice presidential) candidate," Kalla informed journalists in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province's capital city, on Saturday.
He forecast that the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs for the 2019 election will register themselves as the closing day draws to a close. The General Election Commission has opened the registration process for the pairs from Saturday (Aug 2) to Friday (Aug 10).
Incumbent President Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, has decided to compete in next year's presidential race but he has yet to announce his most potential running mate.
At the same time, Kalla still awaits a decision from the Constitutional Court's (MK's) panel of judges about the judicial review of the 2017 Elections Law's chapter on requirements for presidential and vice presidential candidates. The court's decision will determine his further political steps.
In connection with his running mate, the five coalition party leaders have given Jokowi the leeway to pick the most potential vice presidential candidate.
In his recent statement, General Chairman of the People's Conscience Party Oesman Sapta Odang noted that Widodo will announce his running mate in early August.
In addition to Kalla, local media reports recently revealed that PPP General Chairman Muhammad Romahurmuziy, Golkar Party Chairman Airlangga Hartarto, and PKB General Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar were among the potential running mates of Widodo.
Several other names frequently cited by local media were former chief of the Indonesian Military Moeldoko and Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani, who is also the daughter of PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, among others.
Meanwhile, Chief Patron of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto has, so far, been viewed as the only figure, whose name has officially been supported by the leaders of his coalition parties, including the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and National Mandate Party (PAN).
He has also won the Democratic Party leader Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's official support for becoming the coalition parties' presidential candidate. In the 2014 presidential election, the Democratic Party did not coalesce with Gerindra, PKS, and PAN.
Along with its coalition parties, the Prabowo camp has been attempting to look for a credible figure to be the vice presidential candidate.
Local mainstream media has frequently mentioned several names of figures, who could possibly become Prabowo's most potential running mates. They are well-respected preacher Abdul Somad Batubara, PKS' executive Salim Segaf al-Jufri, and Yudhoyono's eldest son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, among others.
Prabowo may again become Jokowi's toughest rival in the 2019 presidential race. Apart from the tough competition between these two figures to win the presidential seat in April 2019, the pro-Jokowi and pro-Prabowo or pro-changepresident camps should be able to maintain peace and national unity in the country.
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