Luhut on Jokowi-Prabowo Meeting: In Progress

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said efforts to facilitate a meeting between President Joko Widodo or Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto were still afoot. Albeit the meeting has yet to take place, Luhut said the plan was in progress.

“[The plan] is not stuck, but progressing. You (reporters) just don’t know,” said Luhut after meeting Jokowi at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Monday, May 27.

Luhut said Jokowi was set for a meeting with anyone after the 2019 election, and that chances for the much-anticipated meeting between Prabowo and Jokowi were still wide open despite Prabowo’s prior meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

“I think when the time is right, why not? Jokowi has no problem and ready to meet anyone,” Luhut said, adding that the meeting, however, depends on Prabowo’s willingness. 

Read: Gerindra Confirms Prabowo Has No Plan Yet to Meet Jokowi

On numerous occasions, Jokowi admitted to having ordered someone to meet Prabowo. On April 22, a few days after the election, Luhut said he rang the Gerindra chair as ordered by Jokowi. 

Pressures for a Jokowi-Prabowo meeting, however, were mounting despite Luhut’s phone call, and peaked after the 21-22 May rioting that was allegedly committed by provocateurs infiltrating the rallies against the 2019 election results.

Recent reports suggested that VP Jusuf Kalla met Prabowo on Thursday afternoon, May 23, in Dharmawangsa, South Jakarta. Jokowi said he and the VP initiated the meeting.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI