Heru Andriyanto, Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – President-elect Prabowo Subianto visited National Democratic Party (Nasdem) Chairman Surya Paloh on Friday to extend respect and offer collaboration with his future government.

Prabowo was supported by four incumbent parties during the election, including his Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the Democratic Party.

The coalition members collectively won around 43 percent of the vote in the general elections. It will be assured a simple majority in the House of Representatives if Nasdem, which received 9.66 percent of the vote, agrees to join.

The future Prabowo government could face challenges from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which together received 25 percent of the popular vote.

Surya is the first leader of rival political parties in the Feb. 14 election to publicly recognize Prabowo's outright win after the results were certified by the General Election Commission on Wednesday.

His political gesture is very important to Prabowo's efforts to build a solid government as Nasdem's presidential nominee, Anies Baswedan, took a different path by challenging the election results at the Constitutional Court.

"Mr. Surya Paloh immediately congratulated me, and I came here today at the Nasdem headquarters to return the favor and show my respect," Prabowo said in a news conference after the meeting at Nasdem Tower in Jakarta.

The defense minister indicated that his future government will reach out to all parties across the political spectrum and welcome collaboration with Nasdem.

"I would be grateful if Nasdem maintains friendship and brotherhood and shares our love for the nation. After the competition, we need to reunite and together make a contribution to Indonesia," Prabowo said.

Prabowo said it's "the will of the people" to have leaders in the political elites united for the national interest.

Surya didn't say much in the joint press conference, but he said as a national figure he could make a "meaningful impact" on the governance system.

He also hailed his friendship with Prabowo for the last four decades and repeated his congratulatory message on Prabowo's victory.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/nasdem-could-help-prabowo-coalition-control-house-majorit