Indonesian Party Denies 'Stealing Start' on 2029 Election Prep

The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) is gearing up for the 2029 general election, but party officials are pushing back against claims that they are starting their campaign too early.

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Now many people say, oh this is PSI? Too early. We are not stealing the start, but starting earlier.

Ahmad Ali, the daily chairman of PSI's Central Executive Board, stated that the party is not "stealing the start" but rather "starting earlier." He argued that this proactive approach is not against the rules and is necessary to achieve their goal of securing representation in the national parliament, known as Senayan.

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If you have a dream, you have to work earlier.

Ali explained that PSI's early preparations are driven by the need to build its structure, undergo election verification processes, and develop effective winning strategies. "If you have a dream, you have to work earlier," he remarked. The party's decision to begin early is informed by its experiences in the 2019 and 2024 elections, where it failed to secure any seats in the House of Representatives. These past failures have prompted PSI to conduct a thorough "problem shopping" to identify the causes of their setbacks and to build a more robust foundation for future success.

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Must do 'problem shopping' to succeed. We are very serious about 2029.

PSI acknowledges that a weak party structure was a significant drawback in previous elections, hindering its ability to find legislative candidates and build support bases. To address this, the party is now focusing on consolidating its organizational structure, not just to meet administrative requirements but to create a functional apparatus capable of winning elections. This consolidation involves various organizational agendas, including a national working meeting in Makassar and regional meetings, alongside a symbolic change of its logo from a rose to an elephant. Ali is personally involved in overseeing the formation of these structures across different regions, including political safaris with PSI's patron, Joko Widodo.

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Ensure that those present are the actual people on the decree. Not impostors. Not just a phone call, then say it's done, without ensuring there are people.