"For the upcoming cabinet line-up, I encourage the formation of a cabinet of 'gotong royong' (mutual cooperation)," Emrus Sihombing said.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia would become stronger if the camps of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his ex-contender in the 2019 Presidential Elections, Prabowo Subianto, were to synergize in the upcoming cabinet line-up, a political communication analyst stated.

"For the upcoming cabinet line-up, I encourage the formation of a cabinet of 'gotong royong' (mutual cooperation)," Emrus Sihombing, a political communication analyst at Pelita Harapan University (UPH), remarked here on Saturday (Aug 3, 2019).

Sihombing opined that the amalgamation of the forces of both camps in the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin administration would work in favor of the nation, and Prabowo also was a nationalist at heart, who had increasingly prioritized the interests of the nation and state.

However, several people had yet to comprehend the potency and encouraged Prabowo to remain critical of the government to make the checks-and-balances mechanism work.

Sihombing opined that it would be good for Indonesia to have a cabinet of “gotong-royong” whose members could work in synergy to advance the nation while foregoing their differences.

"From rivalry to synergy!" are the prudent words that fully describe the process of reconciliation between the two camps following this year's bitterly contested presidential elections.

Related news: Jokowi-Prabowo: Crossing the bridge from rivalry to synergy

Over these past few weeks, Prabowo, who had tasted defeat in the presidential elections, met with his former contender, Jokowi, and Megawati Soekarnoputri, top leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), and Jokowi's main political supporter.

The political maneuvers made by the two camps are persistently in tune with their common endeavor to promote reconciliation among Indonesians, who have been siphoned into a phenomenon of a divided society over their bitter 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 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 the Senayan area. Following his meeting with Incumbent President and President-elect Jokowi, Prabowo made his own political maneuvers by visiting Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence on July 24. Related news: Prabowo, Megawati meeting was between old friends: Jokowi

Related news: Gerindra to consult on future steps following Prabowo-Jokowi meeting

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Reporter: Zuhdiar Laeis, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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