TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi refused to fully disclose his meeting with the Democrat Party’s high council chairman, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), at the Bogor Palace earlier this week. He said they discussed issues related to the upcoming general elections.

“That’s a secret,” he said after the opening of the International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at the Jakarta Convention Center, Senayan.

He only mentioned that in the nearly hour-long meeting, he and Indonesia's 6th president discussed the 2024 presidential election. “We’re mainly talking about 2024,” he said.

The state head did not elaborate further on their talks. When asked if they discussed the possibility of the Democrat Party joining the government along with the issue of a cabinet reshuffle, Jokowi remained silent.

The meeting on Monday, October 2, took place just a few weeks after the Democrat Party joined the Indonesia Onward Coalition which is endorsing Prabowo Subianto as its presidential candidate in the upcoming election.

The coalition consists of a number of parties supporting President Jokowi's government, including the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Golkar Party, and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). The Democrat Party has actually been on the opposition side since SBY stepped down from the presidency in 2014.

Kamhar Lakumani, the Democratic Party’s deputy for the election campaign, stated that SBY and Jokowi discussed national politics. He believed that the meeting would have a positive impact and cool down the political dynamics ahead of the 2024 general elections.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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