Gerindra NTB Slams PAN, Demands Public Apology Over Dasco Name Dropping

The regional leadership of the Gerindra Party in West Nusa Tenggara has launched a sharp criticism against the National Mandate Party following an unauthorized mention of its senior leadership. The controversy erupted after acting PAN regional chairman Muazzim Akbar publicly linked Gerindra executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad to an internal leadership shakeup during a party consolidation event in Lombok Barat.

The friction began when Muazzim defended the removal of former regional chairman Lalu Ahmad Zaini, citing alleged secret political lobbying with opposition figures. According to Muazzim, the former chairman had met multiple times with Dasco to secure a leadership position within Gerindra while still heading PAN. This claim triggered an immediate backlash from local Gerindra leadership who viewed the statement as a violation of basic political decorum.

"Gerindra very much regrets the emergence of such statements, and we ask you not to bring up our party name to bolster narratives related to other parties" internal issues,' said Gerindra NTB secretary Nauvar Furqany Farinduan during a press briefing on Sunday.

Gerindra officials stressed that routine communications among political figures do not constitute organizational maneuvers or justify speculative narratives in the public sphere. They noted that weaponizing leadership names during sensitive political transitions only serves to mislead constituents and damage inter-party relations.

The regional branch concluded its statement by officially urging Muazzim Akbar to issue a formal correction to clear up any public confusion. Moving forward, Gerindra leaders reiterated their commitment to maintaining strict neutrality regarding rival party dynamics and concentrating entirely on regional legislative consolidation.