Airlangga who is also the general chairman of Golkar Party which is one of the biggest political parties in the country arrived at the Bogor Presidential Palace at around 7.40am while Jokowi arrived soon after riding the newly-bought chopper-typed Royal Enfield Bullet 350cc motorbike.
The two then took a walk to the garden while greeting people who were exercising in the area. Some of the people even took an opportunity to shake hands with the two and took selfies with them.
A senior Golkar leader has said that for the party, vice presidential candidacy is the least to be expected in the forthcoming presidential election.
"Yes, at least it is like that," Agung Laksono, chairman of the Council of experts of the party, which has the second largest seats at the House of Representatives, said on Friday.
Agung said Golkar had declared its support for Jokowi (President Joko Widodo) in his bid for reelection in 2019 although he is not a Golkar cadre.
Therefore, the vice presidential candidacy for Golkar should be considered to win stronger support from the party, he said
Certainly the electability of the candidate should be considered and his track record examined that he is acceptable to all, he added.
The solidity of Golkar`s support would be questioned if the candidate is not known to the party, he said on the sideline of the party national working meeting.
Earlier the party`s General Chairman Airlangga Hartarto said the party has not and would not propose a candidate.
"We leave it for Jokowi to pick his running mate," Airlangga said.
Agung said Jokowi is politically strong, with high popularity and level of public satisfaction for his performance, adding Jokowi needs only to increase his electability.
He suggested Jokowi pick one from among independent professionals or give Golkar more posts in the cabinet if finally the vice presidential candidate is a non Golkar cadre.
"Please don`t hurt Golkar, which has from the beginning thrown its support for Jokowi. The support is not just talk. We have formed community groups that now it is far more secured for Jokowi than in 2014," he said referring to the last election.
He said Golkar deserves to be given certain position, and it is natural if the party expects something.
A number of other parties in the ruling coalition have openly proposed vice president candidates. Observers have said it is feared that the vice presidential candidacy could become a bone of contention among the big coalition.
Reported by Agus Salim
(H-YH/o001)
(L.*SYS/B/H-YH/A/O001)
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
