Jokowi greeted Megawati, the current chairperson of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) at around 00:30 pm local time, and they proceeded to the dining room of the palace.
On Sunday, Megawati held a closed-door meeting with the Chairman of Golkar Party Setya Novanto for around two hours.
"Today Ibu (Mme) Mega and all central executive board of the PDIP received Bapak (Mr) Setya Novanto, the general chairman of Golkar Party," PDIPs secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto said in a joint press conference with Novanto after the meeting.
Hasto said that a lot of issues, including national political dynamics and international political situations, had been discussed at the meeting, which was held at the residence of Megawati, who is PDIPs general chairperson on Jalan Teuku Umar, in Central Jakarta.
Also being discussed was the joint agenda between the two parties, as Golkar Party had declared its full support to the government of Widodo, who is from PDIP, and vice president Jusuf Kalla, who is also known as a Golkar figure.
At the meeting, Megawati was flanked by Hasto and deputy secretaries generals Ahmad Basarah and Utut Adiyanto, while Novanto was flanked by secretary general Idrus Marham, chairman of election affairs Nusron Wahid, and associate chairperson Nurul Arifin.
Hasto said PDIP and Golkar, as supporters of the government, certainly need to increase communication with regard to the latest political developments in the country, including the Jakarta gubernatorial elections.
"At the meeting, Mme Mega reminded that the Indonesian state has been built through a long struggle. We have experienced ups and downs in the past due to various conflicts, and when conflict happens, it is the people who suffer. When people suffer, Indonesia suffers too," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
