Gerindra Attests to Prabowo`s Pledge to Help Jokowi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party Chief Patron Prabowo Subianto vowed to assist the Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Ma'ruf Amin administration regardless of whether Gerindra will become the government’s critical or internal partner, the party's top politician stated.

Prabowo remarked at his meeting with incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Friday that Gerindra is prepared to aid the government if the need arises, Chairman of the Gerindra Central Executive Board Ahmad Riza Patria stated in Jakarta on Saturday.

Speaking at a dialog portraying the theme of "Map of Real Politics in the Aftermath of 'Fiesta' at Parliament," he echoed Gerindra’s steady commitment to playing the role of a critical partner of the government if it chose to not join it.

Patria said he would never question his party's decision if it were later decided to remain outside the Jokowi-Amin administration since contributing to the nation was of utmost importance for Gerindra.

However, Patria was neither keen to see his party become a troublemaker after joining the government nor remain a mere critic without offering solutions.

"Thus, what is good is giving all the best strength and compete for offering the best contribution to the interests of the nation and state," Patria stated, adding that Gerindra will have decided its final political stance at its national meeting.

On Friday, Jokowi had met with Prabowo at the Merdeka Palace on Friday during which they echoed a shared perspective on Indonesia's dire requirement for security and political stability.

These two figures, who both waged stiff campaigns during this year's presidential elections, emphasized the need for security and political stability for the sake of Indonesia's ongoing economic growth and development in the midst of the global economic slowdown.

"We, of course, need security and political stability as well as preparedness for enabling us to cope with the impact of the global economic slowdown," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) informed journalists shortly after meeting with Prabowo.

Jokowi's meeting with Prabowo took place six days prior to the convening of Gerindra's national meeting in Hambalang, West Java Province, scheduled on Oct 15-17, 2019.

Prabowo's spokesman, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, had earlier stated that an announcement will be made on Oct. 17 regarding Gerindra's decision to either join the Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin administration or stay out.

"Mr. Prabowo's official stance on becoming the government's critical partner or internal partner will be decided during Gerindra's national meeting on October 15-17," Simanjuntak stated on Wednesday.

ANTARA