Jokowi and Yudhoyono Pay No Attention to Distrust

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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — A meeting between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Indonesia\'s sixth president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (9/3) is considered not only positive but also as being able to minimize the distrust that had previously formed between Jokowi and Yudhoyono, as well as the powers behind each of them.

Political Science lecturer at the Airlangga University, Surabaya, Haryadi, said the reduction in distrust between the two figures could have a positive impact on relations and real political support in the community. This corresponded to tactical political interests and was not about principles.

"With this meeting, the political tensions during and ahead of the second round of the Jakarta regional elections on April 19 are expected to split," said Haryadi.

Yesterday\'s meeting was the result of Yudhoyono\'s hope for a get-together with Jokowi. Jokowi had previously met with a number of political party chairs and former presidents and vice presidents, including having two meetings with Gerindra Party chair Prabowo, while not meeting Yudhoyono.

In fact, the desire for a meeting was disclosed by Yudhoyono several times, for example, when he was accused of being behind the mass protests on Nov. 4, 2016, as well as behind alleged treason. Yudhoyono had even held a press conference related to his phone conversation with Indonesian Ulema Council chair Ma\'ruf Amin, as revealed in a hearing on the blasphemy allegations against Jakarta’s governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

At that time, aside from asking that the case was thoroughly resolved, Yudhoyono also wanted to meet and talk bluntly with Jokowi. "If [I] can meet [the President], I will talk to him bluntly about who gave him the intelligence accusing me of funding the peaceful 4/11 action, linking me to a plan to bomb the State Palace and treason," Yudhoyono said in Jakarta (Kompas, 2/2).

According to State Secretary Pratikno, the meeting was conducted in response to Yudhoyono’s desire to meet the President after Democratic Party secretary general Hinca Panjaitan phoned him on Tuesday (7/3) from the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center. "Pak Hinca reaffirmed SBY’s desire to meet the President," Pratikno said.

No time to eat

When he arrived at the State Palace, Yudhoyono, who was accompanied by Djoko Suyanto, the coordinating minister for politics, law and security affairs in the United Indonesia Cabinet II, waited for Jokowi, who was still at the State Palace attending the National Music Day commemorations. Pratikno accompanied Yudhoyono and Djoko for about 10 minutes.

Then the President arrived and spoke privately with Yudhoyono in the Garuda Room. Meanwhile, Djoko waited while chatting with Pratikno and Presidential spokesman Johan Budi. After a discussion of about 30 minutes, Jokowi and Yudhoyono sat on the State Palace, verandah and talked casually, then made a 10-minute press statement. The snack of lumpia Semarang that had been provided was not finished. After the meeting, Jokowi accompanied Yudhoyono to his car.

When asked by the press about the Democratic Party\'s stance on the government, Yudhoyono said that he only positioned himself as a former president. Discussions in the meeting, he said, had not included technical politics. "It will flow, it has a mechanism. The most important thing is that we agree on saving the nation, Pancasila. I think political cooperation will be open," Yudhoyono said.

When Kompas asked what had been discussed with Jokowi, Yudhoyono simply raised his cup and drank his tea. Meanwhile, Jokowi turned and joked, asking "Should blunt things be disclosed to you?" Yudhoyono also chuckled while still concentrating on his tea.

(NTA/INA/NDY)

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