KSPI proposes demagogic nationalist Rizal Ramli as Prabowo’s running mate

Kumparan News – April 29, 2018
KSPI president Said Iqbal speaking at rally - Undated (Kumparan)
KSPI president Said Iqbal speaking at rally - Undated (Kumparan)

The Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) has decided to support Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairperson Prabowo Subianto as a candidate for the 2019 presidential election. The decision was taken at a KSPI national working meeting (Rakernas).

KSPI president Said Iqbal said that the decision was taken after leading representatives of trade union federations affiliated with the KSPI and those attending the Rakernas conveyed their views about prospective presidential candidate figures that could be supported in 2019.

“So far it is only Prabowo Subianto who has had a commitment to pursuing the demands from workers and the ordinary people. Because of this, KSPI workers will give their unanimous support to him to become president for the 2019-2024 term”, said Iqbal in a release received by Kumparan on Sunday April 29.

According to Iqbal, Prabowo is committed to pursuing the 10 demands of workers and the people (Sepultura) which were presented by the KSPI in the form of a political contract.

This support, continued Iqbal, will be declared at an event at the Senayan Sports Arena in Jakarta on May 1 which will be attended by tens of thousands of workers.

In addition to this, the KSPI is also recommending to political parties that they nominate recently sacked Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Rizal Ramli as Prabowo’s vice presidential running mate. Ramli, they said, is the right person to be vice president because he understands and can find solutions to economic problems.

Notes

Said Iqbal and KSPI, who supported former Special Forces (Kopassus) commander retired General Prabowo Subianto’s failed 2014 presidential bid, also backed the Prabowo backed Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno ticket in the religiously and ethnically divisive 2017 Jakarta elections. This included taking part in protests by hard-line Islamic forces seeking to oust incumbent Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama – and ethnic Chinese Christian – who lost the election to Baswedan and was subsequently jailed on trumped up blasphemy charges.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Dukung Prabowo di 2019, KSPI Usulkan Rizal Ramli Jadi Cawapres.]

Source: https://kumparan.com/@kumparannews/dukung-prabowo-di-2019-kspi-usulkan-rizal-ramli-jadi-cawapres