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Unresolved conflicts may hinder Prabowo's plan to form presidents' club
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (second left), then vice president Jusuf Kalla (left), Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri (center), Vice President Ma’ruf Amin (second right) and president-elect Prabowo Subianto attend the opening ceremony of the fifth PDI-P congress on Aug. 8, 2019, in Sanur, Bali. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono/Adi)
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resident-elect Prabowo Subianto’s plan to form a so-called club of presidents has generally received a warm welcome from political parties across the spectrum, but a series of unresolved conflicts between his predecessors may become a stumbling block.
Prabowo spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said on Friday that the “presidents' club” is expected to be a place for former presidents to sit together and exchange views over “strategic problems faced by the nation” and offer insights to the incoming president.
The club could include former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his predecessor Megawati Soekarnoputri and outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
Jokowi, who will end his tenure in October, has welcomed the creation of the club, suggesting that he would be willing to make time for his successor. “One meeting every two days would be fine," he said on Friday.
Political parties in Prabowo’s coalition, particularly the Democratic Party, have thrown their support behind the proposal, saying that it would enrich the president-elect’s perspective in navigating the nation.
The Democratic Party was founded by Yudhoyono and became his political vehicle when he ran for president in 2004 and 2014.
Herzaky Mahendra of the Democratic Party told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that “Indonesia today is grateful to have three living [former] presidents [who] have direct experience with various national problems. [They are] very valuable and can give valuable input to Prabowo to help him with future decision-making.”
