PKB Officially Supports Jokowi

Jakarta (Antara) - The Nation Awakening Party (PKB) has officially decided to coalesce with the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) to support Jokowi in the presidential election on July 9. The decision was made at a joint meeting of the party's executive and advisory boards at Tarbiyantunnasyiin Islamic boarding school in Pacung Gowang, Jombang, East Java, on Saturday. "The decision was taken for the benefit of the nation and the people's welfare," the party's general chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar, said. He noted that PKB believes Jokowi would be able to preserve the integrity of the Unitary State of Indonesia (NKRI), the implementation of "ahlussunnah waljamaah" Islamic teachings and improve the people's welfare. He said PKB wishes to build a strong, respectful, effective and efficient government for the development of the country and improve the welfare of the people, along with Jokowi and PDIP. "We are aware that good and sincere cooperation among national components would be needed to improve conditions in Indonesia," he said. Muhaimin hoped the cooperation between PKB and PDIP would help support efforts to realize the ideals of the country's founders and cooperation between the leaders and political elites, as well as cadres of PKB and PDIP, which had been established many years ago. The cooperation between Islamic clerics and nationalist leaders and between Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and nationalist members, between PNI (former nationalist party) and NU, Bung Karno, the first president and one of country's founders and father of PDIP general chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri, and KH Hasyim Asyari, the NU founder, and other NU figures has been a reality since the era of the independence struggle. "It proves that our coalition and cooperation is really sincere and comes from the bottom of our hearts, because it is not only based on a common platform, vision and mission, but also a history," he said. Muhaimin said PKB's decision to coalesce with PDIP and support Jokowi was also based on input from clerics, executive board members and PKB constituents. "We hope PKB's decision is supported by the people and the presidential candidate it supports could win the election easily and is blessed by God," he said. (*) Reporting by sigit pinardi