Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Angela Tanoesoedibjo took over the leadership of the Perindo Party on Wednesday from her father, media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibjo, signaling a change in the political party's direction under the incoming government of president-elect Prabowo Subianto.
Hary announced his decision to step down from the party chairmanship and introduced his daughter Angela as his successor on Wednesday at the closing of the party's three-day national meeting in Jakarta.
"I will hereby announce part of the transformation: I will assign Angela Tanoesoedibjo to become Perindo chair," Hary said in his speech, which was livestreamed on the party's YouTube channel.
"Mbak Angela is still young, born in '87, [part] of the millennial generation. She should be able to communicate in the same style as other young people. I will remain in the party as chair of a council to look after everyone," he said.
Angela, who currently serves as Deputy Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, hinted that Perindo would support the incoming government of Prabowo and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, stressing that being part of the government can contribute to people's prosperity.
"The party line is to support the government. Why is that? Because the only way to make an impactful contribution is to support pro-people policies from the government, and that is what we will keep doing going forward," she said.
Perindo, a nationalist party, supported unsuccessful candidate Ganjar Pranowo of another nationalist party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who lost to Prabowo in the three-way race.
Perindo supported Prabowo's presidential bid in 2014 when he ran against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and eventually lost. The party switched allegiance and supported Jokowi's reelection bid against Prabowo in 2019.