Mr. Prabowo and Mrs. Megawati have maintained a good friendship for a long time. Therefore, it is common for them to meet
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The recent meeting of his former contender, Prabowo Subianto, with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri was a friendly meeting between old friends, Incumbent President and President-elect Joko Widodo said. "Mr. Prabowo and Mrs. Megawati have maintained a good friendship for a long time. Therefore, it is common for them to meet," he told journalists here Friday when asked to comment on that meeting and the one between National Democratic Party (Nasdem) General Chairman Surya Paloh and Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

The meeting between Paloh and Baswedan was also acceptable, and it had nothing to do with the solidity of the Working Indonesian Coalition's members, according to Jokowi.

"Our coalition remains solid," he said, adding that he has yet to discuss matters related to the future government with the coalition party leaders.

Besides PDIP and Nasdem, the seven other political parties backing the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin pair during the elections were the Golkar Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), United Development Party (PPP), Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), United Indonesia Party (Perindo), Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), and People's Conscience Party (Hanura).

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has officially declared the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin pair as Indonesia's president-elect and vice president-elect following the Indonesian Constitutional Court's (MK's) ruling on the presidential election result dispute on June 27, 2019.

The Jokowi-Amin pair secured 85 million votes, or 55.5 percent of the national vote, as against the contenders Prabowo-Sandi's 68 million votes, or 44.5 percent, according to the KPU's final tally.

Over these past two weeks, Prabowo has met with Jokowi and Soekarnoputri, the top leader of PDIP, which is Jokowi's main coalition partner.

The political maneuvers by the two camps are in line with their common endeavor to promote reconciliation among Indonesians, who were divided over their tough rivalry in the elections.

Jokowi and Prabowo appeared set to walk down the path of reconciliation on July 13, 2019, when they met at the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Station of Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and continued their conversation while boarding Jakarta's brand new MRT.

The duo also had lunch at a restaurant inside a shopping mall in Senayan area. Following his meeting with Jokowi, Prabowo made his own political maneuvers by visiting Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence on July 24. (INE)

Translator: Bayu Prasetyo, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019