He was warmly welcomed by Pramono Anung and Ario Bimo, top cadres of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP), as well as Secretary General of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Abdul Kadir Kading. These three politicians of Joko Widodo`s coalition parties put on white shirts.
Wearing a t-shirt, Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, got off a Kijang Innova van. Several Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) members safeguarded him.
Meanwhile, in the building, there have been seven secretary generals of his coalition parties, including Hasto Kristiyanto of the PDIP, Arsul Sani of the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), Raja Juli Antoni of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), and Jhonny G Plate of the National Democrat Party (Nasdem).
Secretary General of the People`s Conscience Party (Hanura) Secretary General Harry Lontung Siregar, Secretary General of the United Indonesia Party (Perindo) Ahmad Rofiq, and Secretary General of the Indonesian Justice and Unity Partys (PKPI) Verry Surya Hendrawan were also present.
However, Golkar Party Secretary General Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus did not show up and he was represented by other Golkar cadres.
According to PPP Secretary General Asrul Sani, Joko Widodo`s presence was aimed at discussing necessary matters related the formation of a campaign team for helping the Joko Widodo-Ma`ruf Amin pair win next year`s presidential election.
"Secretary generals meet here for making the team and improving the draft of our pair`s vision and mission," he said.
PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto added that the meeting also discussed figures selected to be the campaigners of the Joko Widodo-Ma`ruf Amin pair`s national campaigns.
Incumbent President Joko Widodo and the coalition parties supporting his efforts to grab a victory in the 2019 Presidential Election had selected Ma`ruf Amin, general chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) to be his running mate.
This pair is challenged by Chief Patron of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto, who has chosen Sandiaga Uno, former deputy Jakarta governor, as his running mate.
The two pairs had registered at the General Election Commission (KPU) in Central Jakarta on August 10. Then, on Sunday, the Jokowi-Ma`ruf pair underwent a medical check-up at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital.
Reporting by Desca Lidya Natalia
Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
