Solo, CNN Indonesia —
Former candidate for Mayor of Solo, Achmad Purnomo acknowledged meeting with the President Joko Widodo in Jakarta last Thursday (7/16). There were discussions between him and Jokowi, including the matter of offers to fill positions in the central government.
It was found out the day after the meeting, on Friday (7/17), PDIP officially carried Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a candidate for Mayor in Solo 2020 local elections.
Purnomo said that although there was talk of the possibility of filling the position, he denied that it was a transaction.
“Those are just possibilities. So it is not an offer,” Purnomo said when contacted on Saturday (7/18).
The deputy mayor of Solo claimed he was not willing to leave Solo because he still loved Bengawan City. Moreover, many of its businesses and social activities revolve around Solo and Yogyakarta.
He also said that it was impossible for him to accept this offer from Jokowi.
“I am still in love and proud of the city of Solo. If you have to go to Jakarta, then no,” he said.
He said the meeting began with a telephone call asking Purnomo to Jakarta to meet Jokowi. Received a call from the President, Purnomo immediately sought a plane ticket. He invited his colleague, Farid Sunarto, who was also the Secretary of the Construction of the Surakarta Sriwedari Park Mosque (MTTS).
“I think this is my chance to mature to the President to be helped in completing the construction of the mosque. So I invite mas Farid,” said Purnomo.
He asked President Jokowi to help complete the construction of MTSS. Built in early 2018, construction of the mosque has not progressed in recent years.
The mosque construction committee chaired by Purnomo still owes tens of billions of rupiah to PT WIKA as the construction contractor. Not to mention the creation of parks and regional development which is estimated to cost tens of billions of additional rupiah.
“The lack is still in the hundreds of billions more,” he said.
Purnomo hurriedly explained that the request was in no way related to the political dynamics in Solo ahead of the elections. He is committed to completing the construction of the mosque regardless of the recommendations from the DPP PDIP.
“I can get a recommendation or not, yes, I will keep asking. That has become my commitment to complete the construction of the mosque,” he said.
During the meeting, Purnomo learned that the DPP PDIP recommendation fell into the hands of Gibran. He heard the news directly from Jokowi, Gibran’s father.
He claimed not to be surprised to hear the news. Moreover, he also had predicted that it would be difficult to win the competition with Gibran in PDIP.
“It can’t be helped. The reality is like that. Mas Gibran is the son of the president and is still young. How could I win. From the beginning I had guessed that way,” he said.
It is known, Purnomo was first nominated as Mayor of Solo in the 2020 elections by DPC PDIP Solo. On the way, Gibran lobbied to the PDI-P Central Java DPD to get support.
In the end, the name of Gibran who received a recommendation from the DPP PDIP to fight in the 2020 Solo Regional Election.
(syd/osc)
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