"The meeting between the president and his ministers is confidential, especially (matters discussed) between the president and the defense minister. It will be inappropriate if I reveal it to the public," Subianto stated after officiating Gerindra Party's presidential campaign secretariat here, Saturday.
The minister's statement was made in response to queries regarding his recent meeting with Jokowi at the Presidential Palace to discuss national matters.
Earlier, on Friday (January 6), President Joko Widodo summoned Subianto and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati to the Presidential Palace to discuss several matters.
The two ministers did not elaborate on matters they discussed with the president during the meeting in detail.
According to the Presidential Secretariat's Deputy of Protocol, Press, and Media, Bey Machmudin, the minister informed the president regarding the planned ministry leadership meeting on January 18 during the meeting session.
"Earlier, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto asked for time with the president to explain about the planned Defence Ministry Leadership Meeting on January 18, 2023," Machmudin stated through a short message here, Friday.
During the meeting, Subianto also invited the president to attend the ministry leadership meeting if the president has no other agenda in the day, he remarked.
Moreover, Defense Ministry's spokesperson, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, stated that the meeting between the minister and the president aims to discuss governance issues.
"It is just a routine discussion on government issues," Simanjuntak told ANTARA.
Meanwhile, Minister Indrawati, who also met Jokowi on Friday, said that she discussed the proposed ministry regulation on fringe benefits taxation during the meeting. She also clarified that the proposed tax would not affect minor fringe benefits received by employees.
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Translator: Putu Indah S, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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