TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Romahurmuzy, also known as Romy, said that Prabowo Subianto has expressed his interest to be a vice presidential candidate for Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Romy asserted that Prabowo was sincere because he sent his messenger to Jokowi on Tuesday, April 9, 2018.

"If there were no positive [intentions], [Prabowo] would not send a messenger to ask about the possibility of becoming Jokowi's deputy," Romy said in Semarang on Friday, April 13, 2018.

Romy explained about the chronology of Prabowo's wish that has been around since November 2017. Romy revealed that the meeting between Prabowo and Jokowi happened twice in November, though it is unknown who made the first invitation.

"And at that time Pak Prabowo said, 'In the last meeting in November, I felt very honored, at the end of my struggle, to be nominated as vice president.' If you see the sentence, it is possible Jokowi took the initiative," Romy said.

Romy said that he knew about the rumor because at that time, Jokowi had also asked his opinion about the possibility of a coalition with Prabowo in the 2019 presidential election. Romy added that he immediately said yes.

"Why do I know? Because at that time Pak Jokowi also asked me, 'what do you think Romy, is it good or bad if I asked Prabowo to be the vice president candidate', I did not consult with anyone, I directly said agree," said Romy.

FITRIA RAHMAWATI