Yerica Lai, Jakarta – The Muslim-based National Awakening Party (PKB) is open to the possibility of pairing former Jakarta governor and losing presidential candidate Anies Baswedan with Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairman Kaesang Pangarep, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's youngest son, in contesting the Jakarta gubernatorial election in November.
According to PKB Jakarta chair Hasbiallah Ilyas, the party had reached out to the PSI, a youth-oriented, pro-Jokowi party, over the possibility of joining forces in the Jakarta race.
"We're also open if Mas [brother] Kaesang really wants to run for Jakarta deputy governor. We've established communication with the PSI, and we're also open to any [other candidates for deputy governor]," Hasbiallah told a press briefing on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas TV.
Recent speculation about 29-year-old Kaesang running for Jakarta deputy governor emerged after the Supreme Court decided last month in favor of altering a condition related to the age of candidacy in this year's regional head elections.
The court's decision allows candidates to be a minimum 30 years old upon their inauguration, rather than when their candidacy is confirmed.
Kaesang is the younger brother of vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who was able to run in the February presidential election after the Constitutional Court ruled to allow a last-minute change in the age of candidacy rules last October.
Rival candidate pair Anies and PKB chair Muhaimin Iskandar criticized the ruling, accusing President Jokowi of interfering with the judicial process in a bid to establish his family's political dynasty.
Kaesang welcomed the PKB's support for his Jakarta bid, saying that he was open to running alongside Anies, who ranks among the most popular candidates for Jakarta governor in recent opinion surveys.
"I think that suggestion is also good. Pak [Mr.] Anies also has the highest [electability] in surveys right now. I don't have a problem if I am paired with Pak Anies in the future," Kaesang said, as quoted by Kompas.com on Wednesday.
The idea to pair Anies and Kaesang was raised on the sidelines of PKB Jakarta's announcing its support for Anies' bid to be reelected Jakarta governor in the November elections.
Both Anies and Kaesang's nominations depend on approval from the PKB central board, which is expected to conduct a fit and proper test for every regional head nominee proposed by its local chapters.