Gerindra Rebukes Supporter Backlash Pre Jokowi-Prabowo Meeting

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra Party’s deputy secretary Andre Rosiade irately responds to people accusing the Party’s chairman Prabowo Subianto of being tempted to offers within Jokowi’s cabinet – which some people allege as the driving reason behind the meeting of the two men on Saturday.

Andre asserts that Gerindra is a political party that is not easily tempted by positions within the government.

He then revealed that Gerindra had always been offered cabinet positions since the administration led by sixth president Susilo “SBY” Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009 – 2014. He also claims they were approached by Jokowi’s 2014-2019 administration.

“In 2018, we were also offered a position as vice president for 2019 but we declined the offer,” said Andre in one of his Tweets.

He also said that the “power-hungry” allegations aimed at Prabowo is unacceptable as – according to him – Gerindra consistently stayed as an opposition for the past decade.

“Since the party’s inception up to this day, we have stayed outside of the ruling government. That is proof of our consistency and that we are not easily tempted,” he said.

He then revealed that Prabowo Subianto’s meeting with Jokowi at the Lebak Bulus MRT Station on Saturday was a friendly gesture of peace in order to cool down the national political tension and to personally congratulate the president-elect.

DEWI NURITA

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