Balikpapan, E Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - Chairman of Golkar Council of Experts Agung Laksono reminded the party leaders of its decision to throw its full support for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the next presidential election in 2019.

Golkar, the countrys second largest party, should be consistent with its decision, Agung said addressing a national leadership meeting here on Monday night.

"Golkar, in its extraordinary congress in Bali in 2016 decided to name Jokowi as its candidate in the presidential election in 2019," Agung Laksono recalled.

Agung said as a consequence of the decision all party officials have to work seriously to win the legislative elections and support Jokowi in his second bid for presidency.

"Golkar leaders have to be united and solid," he said. In the last election Golkar led the opposition to the coalition of parties supporting Jokowi, a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the ruling party.

Agung said Golkar must not lose courage after the loss of its candidate Basuki Tjahaya Purnama (Ahok) in the last Jakarta gubernatorial election. Highly popular Ahok, accused of insulting Islam was rejected by the majority voters and later sentenced to two years imprisonment for blasphemy. Ahok was believed to the favorite of President Jokowi.

"Golkar must not hesitate and dispirited as the biggest fight is yet to come," he added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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