Jokowi and Megawati Discuss Political Developments

Jakarta, 22 Safar 1438/22 November 2016 (MINA) – President Joko Widodo , popular known as Jokowi, and Fifth President Megawati Soekarnoputri met at the Merdeka Palace on Monday to discuss political developments in the country.

“Such kind of communication as we had today is a very effective way of finding solutions to various national problems. We discussed the state of macro economy, national political issues and social matters,” Antara News quoted President Jokowi as telling a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

According to Jokowi, he discussed with Megawati the developments regarding the plan to hold simultaneous regional head elections in 2017. These polls will be held in Jakarta and elsewhere.

She asked all candidates to respect and appreciate each other in the national interest.

“Actually, every regional head election, be it for electing a mayor, a deputy mayor, a district head, a deputy district head or a governor anywhere in the country, will lead to some heating up of the political atmosphere,” Jokowi noted.

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In the two hours long meeting, Megawati called on all national and media leaders to deliver messages advocating peace and calm in the run up to the 2017 simultaneous regional head elections.

Megawati also suggested that the president should hold meetings with the general chairmen of political parties in Indonesia.

The former president, who is now the general chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), arrived at the State Palace at about 12.30 pm local time.

After their press conference, the two further were seen chatting till 14:00 hours local time at a spot in the northern part of the State Palace facing the park.

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Meeting with Setya Novanto

On Sunday, Megawati held a closed-door meeting with the Chairman of the Golkar Party, Setya Novanto, for around two hours.

“Today, Ibu (Mme) Mega and all central executive board of the PDIP received Bapak (Mr) Setya Novanto, the general chairman of Golkar Party,” PDIP secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto informed at a joint press conference with Novanto after the meeting.

Hasto disclosed that many issues, including national political dynamics and international political situation, were discussed at the meeting held at the residence of Megawati, who is PDIP’s general chairperson on Jalan Teuku Umar, in Central Jakarta.

They also discussed the common agenda of the two parties as Golkar Party had declared its full support to the government of Widodo, who is from the PDIP, and vice president Jusuf Kalla, who is a Golkar figure.

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At the meeting, Megawati was flanked by Hasto and deputy secretary generals Ahmad Basarah and Utut Adiyanto. Novanto was flanked by secretary general Idrus Marham, chairman of election affairs Nusron Wahid, and associate chairperson Nurul Arifin.

Hasto pointed out that the PDIP and Golkar, as supporters of the government, certainly need to have more communication about the latest political developments in the country, including the Jakarta gubernatorial elections.

“At the meeting, Megawati reminded that the Indonesian state has been built after a long struggle. We have experienced ups and downs in the past due to various conflicts. When conflict happens, it is the people who suffer. When people suffer, Indonesia suffers too,” he stressed. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)