TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Despite the door to join the coalition party of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo supporters ahead of Presidential Election next year, Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) said he honored the president.
According to SBY, Jokowi fully determined to invite his party in the coalition, but he decided to take another way as the party felt declined by those parties carrying out Jokowi. “So, it [the saying] is not true that SBY gets a false hope,” said SBY in Mega Kuningan, Jakarta, late Wednesday, July 25.
SBY said he questioned on how much the coalition party backing Jokowi would welcome his party –during his fourth or fifth meeting with the incumbent candidate in the past four years. SBY was aware that his relationship with PDIP chair Megawati Soekarnoputri was not improved. “In fact, my relationship with Ibu Megawati is not well. There is a gap,” he added.
Read also: SBY: Coalition with Jokowi Not Possible, There are Obstacles
However, Jokowi continuously ensured that the Democratic party would be warmly welcomed. ”[The party] will be welcomed because I’m the president,” said SBY, imitating Jokowi.
Hearing the statement, SBY went on to say, his party started to consider the invitation in supporting Jokowi in the 2019 presidential race without proposing names of the vice presidential candidate. “Thus in Democratic party national meeting on March 10-11, I said it’s highly possible for the party with Jokowi in the election,” he said.
SBY mentioned there was not a negotiation on the slot of vice presidency. However, SBY said Jokowi offered a ministerial position for his party.
Recently, SBY said, there were many obstacles for Democratic Party join the coalition supporting Jokowi in the election. The hitch came from the parties coalition and that the chance was closed thus his party took another path.
“I really fell the sincerity of Jokowi inviting Democratic party. But the path is closed for the party join in Jokowi coalition,” SBY said.
DEWI NURITA
