"They contested against each other in the 2014 presidential election when Joko Widodo defeated the founder of the Gerindra party," Ade Komarudin said here on Monday.
The fact that the two met showed that the two leaders always work towards building a harmonious relationship, he noted.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fadli Zon, informed that the meeting had been planned last week.
"It was a routine meeting between Jokowi and Prabowo," he remarked.
On Monday (October 31), President Joko Widodo met the chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) party, Prabowo Subianto, to discuss various nationality-related issues.
"Gerindra party chairman Prabowo Subianto has offered certain inputs to me. I laud him for making these recommendations to the government," President Joko Widodo observed.
On the occasion, the president called on all communities, including religious leaders and political figures, to work towards achieving peace and harmony.
"We should jointly build the country in all aspects," the president remarked.
During his visit to Prabowos residence, the president rode a horse and tried a dish of fried rice along with Prabowo Subianto.
Prabowo Subianto presented a cap to President Joko Widodo as a gift.
Earlier, Gerindra party informed that Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan will accompany Jokowi during the meeting.
Prabowo welcomed the initiative to hold the meeting at noon.
In the afternoon, Jokowi will hold a meeting with chiefs of 35 mass media organizations at the Presidential Palace.
No official information was available about the agenda of the two meetings, but it is likely that the president will raise the issue of an upcoming major demonstration by a number of Muslim organizations, scheduled for November 4. The protesters are demanding that the government must take legal action against Jakarta Governor Basuki Thahaja Purnama (Ahok) for alleged blasphemy concerning the Holy Quran.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
