Coalition

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Chairman of the DPP NasDem Party Sugeng Suparwoto said the General Chairperson Solar Paloh in the near future will meet with President Joko Widodo alias Jokowi and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan. The goal, said Sugeng, is to exchange ideas and straighten out views and commitments ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.

“They are committed to meeting the three of them. Committed what? This let go of each other’s egos with their respective preferences or references to potential candidates. Let it go,” said Sugeng at the Secretariat for Change, South Jakarta, Friday, May 6, 2023.

Sugeng’s statement referred to Jokowi’s moment inviting the General Chairmen of parties supporting the government at the State Palace on Tuesday evening, May 2, 2023. NasDem is the only political party supporting Jokowi who was not invited.

Surya Paloh on Friday, 5 May 2023 met with Luhut at Wisma Nusantara. Sugeng, who was present at the meeting, said that Surya told Luhut that the recent incident was not healthy.

The reason, Sugeng continued, was that Jokowi as head of government and head of state should position himself as a statesman. Endorsement aka support for a certain figure as a presidential candidate called Sugeng is also unethical for a President to do.

“The point is how toendorse one by one in our opinion is not good. In the context of cawe-cawe, it’s common language,” he said.

As for Luhut, Sugeng absorbed Surya’s aspirations. He said Surya conveyed to Luhut that the NasDem would love Jokowi and this republic. Surya hopes Jokowi can maintain neutrality ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.

“So that was what (Surya) said earlier. That we all love Pak Jokowi, love this republic,” said Sugeng.

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Previously, Surya admitted that he understood Jokowi’s attitude in not inviting his party to a meeting of the Ketum of parties supporting the government. Perhaps, he said, Jokowi temporarily does not consider NasDem part of the government coalition.

However, he stressed that NasDem would continue its commitment with Jokowi-Ma’ruf.

“I can understand positioning he. Perhaps as the leader of the coalition of government parties, he no longer considers this NasDem in the governing coalition for the time being,” Surya said after meeting with Luhut, Friday, May 5, 2023.

Meanwhile, Luhut said differences in any matter, including political choices, had become a natural thing. Nevertheless, he hopes that in the midst of these differences, friendship will remain.

“If there are differences here and there, I think it’s normal. But friendship is still going on. So if there are differences that you see on the outside, I don’t think there are any sharp ones. Everyone thinks the best for RI,” he said Luhut.

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