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View all search resultsJokowi, Aburizal talk politics over coffee
President-elect Joko âJokowiâ Widodo onTuesday afternoon held a closed-door meeting with Golkar Partychairman Aburizal Bakrie, without a potential merger on the horizon
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P
resident-elect Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo onTuesday afternoon held a closed-door meeting with Golkar Partychairman Aburizal Bakrie, without a potential merger on the horizon.
Jokowi emphasized that the meeting was not an indication of a possible
coalition in the near future nor was it a talk about a Cabinet offer.
'We talked for about an hour over coffee, even though I am not into coffee, actually, but I had to [drink coffee] to make the session more relaxed. We talked about the nation and he shared detailed stories about times when he was a minister and coordinating minister. He also gave a lot of input to me,' Jokowi told a press conference after the meeting at Kunskring art gallery in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
'I did ask him about the coalition. He said the Golkar Party would remain in the KMP. That's all,' Jokowi said, referring to the Red-and-White Coalition of which Golkar Party is a member.
Jokowi, however, added jokingly, 'that's his answer today. We never know what his answer will be next week, or next month.'
Jokowi also emphasized that communication between the two sides had been going well.
'We want to show the business sector and investors that everything is fine,' he continued.
Aburizal, who referred to Jokowi as a 'best friend', reiterated his coalition's commitment to working alongside Jokowi's administration despite the coalition's defeat in the 2014 presidential election.
'We will play a role in balancing the administration, not opposing it. Opposition means you will go against everything that [the administration] does, but we will not be like that. We will support everything that is good and discuss those things we consider unfit,' Aburizal said.
Aburizal also pointed out that neither he nor other senior Golkar Party members had been offered ministerial posts, but said that even if senior Golkar Party members were appointed as ministers, they would not be representing the party.
Jokowi also denied rumors that his move to initiate a meeting with leaders of Red-and-White Coalition member parties was a result of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) failure in lobbying the other side.
'It is not like that. I just happened to meet with Pak ARB,' he said, referring to Aburizal, adding that he would invite other Red-and-White Coalition member party leaders to have meetings with him.
When asked whether or not he would also contact his rival from the presidential race, Gerindra Party chief patron Prabowo Subianto, Jokowi remained declined to comment. (nfo)
