NasDem Denies Two-Face because Government Coalition but Supports Anies
DPP chairman of the NasDem Party Ahmad Sahroni denied accusations by the head of the Jakarta PDIP Education and Training Center, Gilbert Simanjuntak, that NasDem was two-faced because he was still in President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) government coalition but still supported Anies Baswedan's presidential candidate. Sahroni emphasized that Anies is not a figure in opposition to the government.
"From the start we were confused if we were called two-faced. 'Formally', Anies is not a government opposition figure," Sahroni told reporters, Wednesday (31/5/2023).
Sahroni said Anies did not belong to a party, let alone an opposition party. According to him, Anies while serving as Governor of DKI Jakarta, his policies were not at odds with Jokowi.
"During his administration in DKI, he also did not oppose the President. Policies were always aligned with the center. Even in events that Pak Gilbert considered bad, Formula E, the President approved, monitored progress, and was present to enjoy for quite a long duration," said Sahroni .
He emphasized that NasDem had never considered leaving Jokowi's government coalition after deciding to support Anies in the 2024 presidential election. NasDem, said Sahroni, has so far supported all of Jokowi's programs.
"Until now all government programs from small to mega projects such as IKN, NasDem have been supporters since the beginning," he said.
PDIP Elite accuses NasDem of being two-faced
As is known, Gilbert Simanjuntak highlighted the position of the NasDem Party which is still in President Jokowi's government coalition. Gilbert called NasDem two-faced by still being in the coalition but still supporting presidential candidate Anies Baswedan.
Gilbert initially brought up the statement of former NasDem elite Zulfan Lindan who called Anies Baswedan the antithesis of Jokowi. At that time, NasDem actually took a firm stand against Zulfan Lindan.
"When Zulfan Lindan said Anies Baswedan was Jokowi's antithesis, NasDem took the stance of dismissing the person concerned even though he was one of the declarators of the founding of NasDem as a party. NasDem's statement is to continue to support and oversee the current government until it ends in 2024," Gilbert said in a statement received by journalists, Wednesday (31/5).
Gilbert said that what was even stranger was that when Anies criticized road construction during the Jokowi era and misread the data from the Central Statistics Agency or BPS, NasDem did not say anything.
"It's strange that when Anies and his team criticized the current government regarding the length of the road, even though the data was misread and did not apologize, NasDem was silent and did not issue a statement supporting the current government," he explained.
"Now Anies is saying something different from what NasDem said. Anies sees that the issue of sustainable development is not an issue in the 2024 Election, while NasDem is in the current cabinet and is helping to build what is there," he continued.
This member of Commission B DPRD DKI Jakarta also called the NasDem Party two-faced. He suggested that NasDem should start choosing between leaving Jokowi's cabinet or admonishing Anies Baswedan that the party led by Surya Paloh was still in Jokowi's government.
"This inconsistent attitude and the two faces of the NasDem while in the cabinet, is highly unethical. It is better for the NasDem to show a clear political stance. It is better to leave the cabinet, or reprimand Anies as proof that they are still supporting/guarding the current government. Anies himself is not a NasDem cadre. Being in the cabinet, but the attitude of NasDem shows that the opposition is not politically mature, instead it has set a bad example like other parties in the SBY era," he said.
NasDem Bantah Bermuka Dua karena di Koalisi Pemerintah tapi Dukung Anies
Ketua DPP Partai NasDem Ahmad Sahroni membantah tudingan Kepala Badiklatda PDIP DKI Gilbert Simanjuntak yang menyebut NasDem bermuka dua karena masih di dalam koalisi pemerintahan Presiden Joko Widodo (Jokowi) tapi tetap mendukung bacapres Anies Baswedan. Sahroni menegaskan Anies bukan sosok oposisi pemerintah.
"Dari awal kami bingung apabila dibilang bermuka dua. Secara 'formal', Anies bukan sosok oposisi pemerintah," kata Sahroni kepada wartawan, Rabu (31/5/2023).
Sahroni mengatakan Anies tidak berpartai, apalagi partai oposisi. Menurutnya, Anies selama menjabat sebagai Gubernur DKI Jakarta, kebijakannya tidak berseberangan dengan Jokowi.
"Selama memerintah di DKI, beliau juga tidak berseberangan dengan Presiden. Kebijakan selalu selaras dengan pusat. Bahkan di event yang Pak Gilbert anggap jelek pun, Formula E, Presiden merestui, memantau progresnya, dan hadir menikmati dalam durasi yang cukup lama," ucap Sahroni.
Dia menegaskan bahwa NasDem tidak pernah menganggap keluar dari koalisi pemerintahan Jokowi usai memutuskan mengusung Anies di Pilpres 2024. NasDem, kata Sahroni, hingga kini mendukung semua program Jokowi.
"Sampai sekarang semua program pemerintah dari yang kecil sampai yang mega proyek seperti IKN, NasDem adalah pendukung sejak awal," tegasnya.
Elite PDIP Tuding NasDem Bermuka Dua
Seperti diketahui, Gilbert Simanjuntak menyoroti posisi Partai NasDem yang sampai saat ini masih berada dalam koalisi pemerintahan Presiden Jokowi. Gilbert menyebut NasDem bermuka dua dengan masih di dalam koalisi tapi tetap mendukung bacapres Anies Baswedan.
Gilbert awalnya mengungkit pernyataan mantan elite NasDem Zulfan Lindan yang menyebut Anies Baswedan antitesa Jokowi. Saat itu, NasDem justru mengambil sikap tegas terhadap Zulfan Lindan.
"Pada saat Zulfan Lindan mengatakan Anies Baswedan sebagai antitesis Jokowi, NasDem mengambil sikap memecat yang bersangkutan walaupun sebagai salah satu deklarator berdirinya NasDem sebagai partai. Pernyataan NasDem adalah tetap mendukung dan mengawal pemerintahan saat ini hingga berakhir di 2024," kata Gilbert dalam keterangan yang diterima wartawan, Rabu (31/5).
Gilbert menyebut yang lebih aneh, saat Anies mengkritik pembangunan jalan di era Jokowi hingga salah membaca data Badan Pusat Statistik atau BPS, NasDem tidak menyampaikan apapun.
"Anehnya saat Anies dan timnya mengkritik pemerintahan saat ini soal panjang jalan, padahal datanya salah baca dan tidak minta maaf, NasDem diam saja dan tidak mengeluarkan pernyataan mendukung pemerintahan saat ini," jelasnya.
"Sekarang Anies berkata yang berbeda dengan apa yang disampaikan NasDem. Anies melihat soal kesinambungan pembangunan bukan isu dalam Pemilu 2024, sementara NasDem ada dalam kabinet saat ini dan ikut membangun apa yang ada," lanjut dia.
Anggota Komisi B DPRD DKI Jakarta ini pun menyebut Partai NasDem bermuka dua. Dia menyarankan agar NasDem mulai memilih antara angkat kaki dari kabinet Jokowi atau menegur Anies Baswedan bahwa partai yang dipimpin Surya Paloh itu masih berada di Pemerintahan Jokowi.
"Sikap inkonsisten dan dua muka NasDem ini padahal berada dalam kabinet, sangatlah tidak etis. Sebaiknya NasDem menunjukkan sikap politik yang jelas. Lebih baik keluar dari kabinet, atau menegur Anies sebagai bukti masih mendukung/mengawal pemerintahan saat ini. Anies sendiri bukanlah kader NasDem. Berada di kabinet tetapi sikapnya NasDem terlihat oposisi tidaklah dewasa secara politik, malah memberi contoh yang tidak baik seperti partai lain di era SBY," ujar dia.