SEA Daily — After suffering his second defeat in the 2019 presidential election, Prabowo Subianto’s decision to join Joko Widodo’s coalition left many jaws agape. This unprecedented move in Indonesia’s political history solidified the position of Jokowi (Widodo’s nickname) in the government, granting him more than 75% seats in the parliament. Sources say, Sufmi Dasco is a pivotal figure in brokering the reconciliation between the two rivals.
Dasco, who currently serves as the Deputy Speaker of the People’s Representative Council (DPR), hailed from private sector background before delving into politics.
He quickly rose through Prabowo’s inner circle and became his trusted aide. He was one of the leaderships of the Great Indonesia Purpose (Gerindra) Party when it was founded in 2008. On numerous occasions, the closeness of the two was publicly displayed as Prabowo openly demonstrated his trust in Dasco and prepared him to be the Speaker of DPR if Gerindra wins the 2024 Legislative Election.
Dasco’s brokering activities did not cease in 2019.
It is believed that part of the coalition deal includes Jokowi to fully support Prabowo’s candidacy in 2024, as implied in his statements that the next election is Prabowo’s turn to win. Dasco swiftly responded Widodo’s gesture by saying that the statement boosted Gerindra’s Party confidence. After the statement, closed-door meetings between Jokowi and Prabowo intensified, leading the public to assume that preparations were on track, including the non-ethical maneuver in the Constitutional Court to enable the pairing of Prabowo and Jokowi’s eldest to become a reality.
Just a month after the presidential race commenced on November 28, the Prabowo-Jokowi Jr. tandem decisively topped multiple polls. The most recent polls, released after Christmas, affirmed their overwhelming dominance, with the pair garnering nearly twice the support of their closest rivals.
Analysts suggest that the pair’s advantage in gathering support stems from the combination of Prabowo’s and Jokowi’s loyal bases. However, their significant lead is also indicative of their ample campaign resources, which are the most substantial among the three candidates, as officially reported by the General Elections Commission (KPU).
However, it is hard to believe that Prabowo’s extensive campaigns across the world’s largest archipelagic nation, encompassing both offline and online channels, including prime-time television commercials, were solely financed with only 2 million USD, as the report implies. Sources say, Dasco as the kingmaker orchestrates under the table transactions using cryptocurrencies to keep the engine running.
A leaked file from credible sources shows suspicious crypto exchanges involving Dasco-affiliated Bitcoin wallets throughout 2023. Some of these recorded transactions amounted to nearly 120 BTC in total, equating to roughly 4.9 million USD. Suspicions have been raised regarding these transactions and their potential connection to Prabowo’s campaign funding.
For the record, Dasco’s reported wealth in 2023, inclusive of non-movable assets, stands at around 5 million USD. ()