"All the Indonesian people I love, my meeting with Mr Prabowo Subianto this morning was a meeting between friends, a meeting of brothers," Jokowi stated at the Senayan MRT Station, Jakarta, on Saturday.
For the first ever meeting with Prabowo after the April presidential election, Jokowi took his former challenger for a trip aboard an MRT train from the Lebak Bulus Station for lunch together at a restaurant in FX Sudirman, Senayan, South Jakarta.
Jokowi noted that the meeting had been planned since long but kept getting delayed owing to their busy schedules.
"(This meeting is) what we have actually planned for a long time, but Mr Prabowo is also busy, often going back and forth abroad. I too was busy with several items on my agenda of visits to several regions that led to the meeting being delayed," he explained.
"Thank God, this morning, we could meet and take a ride aboard the MRT because I know Mr Prabowo has never travelled by MRT," Jokowi remarked.
The incumbent president admitted to the 2019 Presidential Election being a tough fight between him and Prabowo.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) declared Jokowi and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin the winners in April's presidential race, with the pair garnering 55.50 percent of the vote against Prabowo-Sandiaga Uno, who had secured 44.50 percent.
Jokowi pointed to the competition also being tough for supporters of both candidates.
Hence, the head of state harbors hopes of the meeting with Prabowo being able to reunite the nation that was divided by different political choices.
"I am immensely grateful for the arrangements, so we can meet with Mr Prabowo this morning, and we also hope that the supporters would follow suit, as we are united. There is no longer (presidential candidate) number 01 or number 02," Jokowi concluded.
Translator: Desca Lidya N./Yashinta Difa P
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
