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Jokowi signals strong backing through meetings with political leaders: Analyst
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has lunch with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri at the State Palace on Monday. Jokowi still seems reluctant to meet former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono amid calls for them to meet to ease political tension. (kompas.com/Sabrina Asril)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is sending out the message that his administration still has strong support from the majority of the public, through meetings with leading political figures, an analyst has said.
“President Jokowi is sending a signal to the public that support [for his administration] remains stable,” Arya Fernandes, an analyst with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said on Tuesday.
Last week Jokowi met with Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, the second meeting in less than a month in an apparent demonstration that the two camps, which were rivals in the 2014 presidential election, might come to new terms.
On Monday, Jokowi met with former president and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and later United Development Party chairman Romahurmuziy, on Tuesday, to discuss various political issues. The President reportedly plans to see former president and Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono later. The schedule for this meeting, however, remains unknown.
President Jokowi recently met with senior political leaders following the Nov. 4 mass rally demanding the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for blasphemy. Although the rally was ostensibly against Ahok, many analysts suspect the rally had the hidden agenda of toppling Jokowi's administration. Jokowi previously said the rally, which turned violent after it officially ended, had been “stirred up by political elements”.
“Meeting with these leaders will surely help ease political tension,” Arya said. (dmr)
