TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra Party deputy chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad confirmed that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had invited his party's chief patron, Prabowo Subianto, to the State Palace. However, Sufmi stopped short of detailing when the meeting will take place.

“I don’t know if it will be today or tomorrow [Oct 22]. What I heard was that there was indeed an invitation to the palace,”he said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, October 21.

Sufmi said he was just informed about the invitation and could not confirm yet as to whether there was another invitation for deputy chair Edhy Prabowo. “What I knew so far is [the invitation is only] for Prabowo,” he said.

Rumors were rife that Prabowo was invited to the State Palace today afternoon. He reportedly would be appointed as the defense minister in Jokowi’s cabinet.

Since today morning, Jokowi has sent for several ministerial candidates for his upcoming second-term cabinet. Those who came included Mahfud MD, Nadiem Makarim, Erick Thohir, Tito Karnavian, and Airlangga Hartarto.

According to former Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice Mahfud MD, Jokowi would inaugurate his cabinet on Wednesday, October 23. “I was asked to help him to be one of his ministers who will be inaugurated the day after tomorrow. [We] are ordered to gather here [at palace] on Wednesday morning,” said Mahfud.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI