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Prabowo, Megawati to stay in contact after discreet meeting
President Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri are committed to maintaining contact following their first meeting since last year’s election, a move that could lay the groundwork for closer ties between the government and the opposition party for the next five years.
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Long-awaited meeting: President Prabowo Subianto (left) sits together on Wednesday with Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the only de facto opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), at her residence in Jakarta. It was the first meeting between Megawati and Prabowo, who chairs the Gerindra Party, since he won the presidential election in February 2024. (Courtesy of/Gerindra Party)
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resident Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri are committed to maintaining contact following their discreet meeting earlier this week, a move that could lay the groundwork for closer ties between the government and the opposition party for the next five years.
Prabowo sat down with Megawati on Monday evening in a closed-door meeting at her residence in Central Jakarta, marking their first face-to-face encounter after months of stalled plans for a reconciliatory meeting that their camps have floated since the Gerindra Party chairman won the election in February of last year.
The one-and-a-half-hour meeting was held without prior announcement and remained under wraps until Tuesday evening, when Gerindra executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, who accompanied the President in the meeting, revealed the “heartwarming gathering” on social media.
In the PDI-P’s first official statement about the meeting, spokesperson Guntur Romli said on Wednesday that both Prabowo and Megawati concluded it with a mutual agreement to maintain communication, suggesting that they viewed continued dialogue as vital to addressing the challenges facing the nation.
“Prabowo and Megawati agreed to keep the lines of communication open and to coordinate especially when it comes to strategic national and international matters that affect the lives of the people and the direction of the country,” Guntur said.
Guntur said there were no communication barriers between the two party leaders despite them deciding upon the meeting at the last minute due to their packed schedules. “From the beginning, Megawati has been open to maintaining communication with Prabowo, even though the PDI-P is not part of the new government,” he said.
Read also: Closed-door Prabowo-Megawati meeting highlights ‘fragile’ political balance
