Chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh said he expected to hold a private meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, following his absence in a recent meeting of leaders of political parties in the governing coalition.

Speaking after a meeting with Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan, Surya said he would personally place a phone call to Jokowi to set up the meeting. 

"Let's see about the timing. If he can clear his schedule," Surya told reporters.

On Tuesday, Jokowi summoned leaders of the political parties in his governing coalition for a consolidation meeting including chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri, Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto and Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto.

Visibly absent from the meeting was Surya, who was reported to be aboard when the meeting took place. 

On Thursday, President Jokowi told reporters Surya was not invited to the meeting because he had decided to form his own coalition to nominate former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan as a candidate to run in the 2024 presidential election.

Surya held a private meeting with Luhut on Friday afternoon in Central Jakarta in what the senior minister described as a "warm" atmosphere.

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