Prabowo's Momentum

Following PKB's endorsement of Prabowo Subianto (Gerindra) for the presidency, the joining of Golkar and PAN has given him a significant boost. In comparison to five and ten years ago, Prabowo now appears more at ease. During our thirty-minute conversation in April of 2023, Prabowo joked, "You didn't help me." We discussed the previous presidential elections, in which I assisted Jokowi in defeating Prabowo in 2014 and 2019 and SBY in defeating Prabowo in 2009.

I then joked with him by singing "It's Now or Never!" by Elvis Presley. "Mr. Prabowo must win the 2024 presidential election," I said. Otherwise, according to the lyrics, it will be never! The final moment has arrived: now or never! Prabowo smiled as well. He is at ease.

When a prominent cultural figure publicly criticized him, Prabowo responded calmly by stating he respected the critic. On another occasion, when asked about his competitors Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, Prabowo responded calmly that they were not his opponents but rather his companions.

The inclusiveness and laid-back demeanor of Prabowo have significantly increased his electability. In the most recent LSI Denny JA survey conducted in July 2023, when Prabowo faced Ganjar head-to-head, he led by more than 10 percent.

Today, August 13, 2023, Prabowo is gaining momentum. Following PKB's endorsement, two parliamentary parties, Golkar and PAN, officially support him. The non-parliamentary party PBB had previously backed him. PSI, a non-parliamentary party, requires additional time. They have expressed their desire to align themselves with Jokowi.

I predicted that Golkar would support Prabowo as early as March 2023, when I conferred with Golkar's chairman, Airlangga Hartarto. During our encounter, he demonstrated a preference for Prabowo, as he is a calculating individual.

However, there are still six months until the presidential election. The electability of presidential candidates is still subject to variation. None of the candidates have yet announced their running companions.

While investigating Islam in Indonesia roughly two months ago, I came across Gus Dur's commentary on Prabowo. Gus Dur, known for his sensitivity, predicted that Prabowo would become president when he was older. Will Gus Dur's forecast come to pass? In 2024, when Prabowo will be 73 years old, will he be elected president?

If this occurs, it will not only validate Gus Dur's words, but also be a numerical coincidence. His fortunate number, "08," is commonly used to refer to Prabowo. If elected, he will become Indonesia's eighth president, which is his fortunate number.

Prabowo is becoming increasingly at ease. Hopefully, other presidential candidates will also ease so that the 2024 presidential election can be conducted without incident.

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Denny JA, 2023