Jokowi Sends Messenger to Meet Prabowo

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential hopeful Joko Widodo or Jokowi said he has sent a messenger to meet his electoral rival Prabowo Subianto. According to him, he wanted to have talks with the Gerindra chief patron.

“I have assigned someone to meet him this afternoon,” said the incumbent at Plataran Restaurant in Menteng, Jakarta, Thursday, April 18.

The former Solo Mayor explained he was willing to meet the candidate number 02 in a bid to cooling down the political tensions between their supporters following the 2019 presidential election.

“So people will see that yesterday’s election has ended smoothly, safely, peacefully, and without any issue,” he added.

Candidate number 01 stressed that he would maintain brotherhood with Prabowo despite competing in the presidential race. “I have said this often that our brotherhood, I and Ma’ruf Amin, will not break with Prabowo and Sandiaga Uno.”

Based on results of quick count issued by a number of pollsters, Jokowi - Ma’ruf ticket is leading the election with 54 percent of votes, beating Prabowo - Sandiaga pair’s 45.5 percent.

This afternoon, Jokowi and Ma’ruf Amin assembled with leaders of party coalition supporting his presidency. They were PDIP chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri, Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto, PKB Party Muhaimin Iskandar, PPP chairman Suharso Monoarfa, and NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh.

Perindo Party chairman Hary Tanoesoedibjo, PSI chairwoman Grace Natalie, PKPI chairman Diaz Hendropriyono, and campaign team head Erick Thohir also presented at the meeting. 

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI