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Prabowo-SBY meeting solidifies Gerindra-Dems coalition
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Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (left) and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto shake hands before a one-on-one meeting in South Jakarta on Monday. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
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“There is a willingness on both sides to create synergy and close cooperation to deal with the troubles the country faces,” Prabowo told reporters after the meeting of more than two hours. “We have agreed to cooperate politically, which will, of course, be in the form of a coalition.”
The two had previously met last Tuesday at Yudhoyono’s house in Kuningan, South Jakarta, where they explained that the path to a coalition between their parties was “wide open.”
“This is the second meeting. In the first meeting, it was wide open for Gerindra and the Democratic Party to form a coalition,” Yudhoyono said. “Now the door is even wider, and, God willing, we can come together to improve [the nation] for the next five years.”
The former president dismissed reports that Prabowo might relinquish his spot as a presidential candidate.
“We are here with the conviction that Pak Prabowo is our presidential candidate,” he said.
He added that they had not discussed who would take the slot of vice presidential candidate, saying that he would leave the decision to Prabowo.
“The important thing is that [the VP candidate] has the support of the people and has the capability to be a leader for the future,” he said. (swd)
