The chairman of the board of patrons of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Prabowo Subianto, made the statement at a meeting with around 8,000 party cadres at Hall 2D JI Expo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.
Gerindra has nominated Anies Baswedan, a former education minister, as its candidate for the next Jakarta governor with Sandiaga Uno, a businessman, as his running mate.
"If you can make them win, God willing, you will also win Indonesia, which will be self-reliant and cannot be bought and will not bow to any country," he told the cadres.
He said the Indonesian people have so far been looked down upon and considered dull and could be fooled. The Indonesian nation including its leaders are considered able to be bought, he said.
He said it was not like that but the Indonesian people have a heart and feeling.
"Gerindra is committed to the 1945 Constitution and not the one that is engineered for the interests of foreign countries," he said.
With regard to the Jakarta gubernatorial election Prabowo said Gerindra has proposed the best pair not for Jakarta only but the whole Indonesia.
"Anies-Sandi is according to us fit (for the post of Jakarta governor and vice governor). God willing they will not disappoint us," he said.
The Jakarta gubernatorial election is scheduled on February 15 and three pairs have been registered to compete in the election. They are Anies-Sandiaga, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni and incumbent Basuki Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saifu Hidayat.
Anies-Sandiaga are supported by Gerindra and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) while Agus-Sylviana b the Democrat Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party while Basuki-Djarot by the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP), Golkar, the National Democrat Party (Nasdem) and the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura). (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
