TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The meeting of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the Chairman of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDI-P with the President Joko Widodo or Jokowi, is getting more intense ahead of the 2019 presidential election. Yesterday, Sunday night, 8 July, the two met again at Batu Tulis Palace, Bogor, for one hour and 50 minutes.
The PDI-P Secretary-General, Hasto Kristiyanto, said Megawati and Jokowi discussed many things. “A number of strategic issues are discussed regarding the results of the World Bank President's visit, the preparation of the Asian Games, various national and state strategic agendas, including the implementation of Legislative Election and Presidential Election,” he said in a written statement on Monday, 9 July.
Megawati and Jokowi had met about a month ago in the same place, exactly on 12 June. The two met for two hours and 10 minutes while breaking the fast together.
When discussing the companion for Jokowi, Megawati had time to give input for the determination of vice presidential candidate to be conducted with careful consideration because they will become leaders of the nation. Jokowi was also asked to contemplate to really understand the aspirations of the people of Indonesia while pleading the guidance from God.
Hasto said that the meeting at Batu Tulis Palace dismissed the notion of various political observers who tried to make the distance, even separating between Jokowi, Megawati, and PDI-P. He called the leadership of Megawati and Jokowi complementary and one unity.
According to him, Megawati is very strong in principle, and engage in politics with confidence for the people. While Jokowi has technocratic capabilities as well as leadership models that build dialogue, embrace, and continue to ground Pancasila in a leadership tradition that goes down, or populist.
“The two leaders of the nation, therefore, are complementary, synergized, and united by emotional bonding with Bung Karno, the Proclaimer and the Father of the Indonesian Nation,” he said.
VINDRY FLORENTIN
