Presidential Candidates Summoned to Urgent Lunch with President Joko Widodo

By Ardito Ramadhan, Bagus Santosa, Kompas.com October 30, 2023

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Endorsed vice-presidential candidate and serving Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Prof. Dr. Mahfud MD, clarified that President Joko Widodo’s plan was to host a luncheon for (only) the endorsed presidential candidates at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, October 30, today (and not the vice-presidential candidates).

Mr. Mahfud MD emphasized that only the presidential candidates were invited to have lunch with President Joko Widodo, excluding the vice-presidential candidates.

“Yes, the candidates for president, not the candidates for vice president. Vice presidential candidates relate to the vice president don’t they,” stated Coordinating Minister Mahfud MD at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

However, Coordinating Minister Mahfud MD was unsure whether his running mate, presidential candidate Mr. Ganjar Pranowo, would attend the lunch invitation.

“I don’t know whether Ganjar will attend or not,” remarked Prof. Mahfud as he entered his car, leaving reporters behind.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Change Coalition (Koalisi Perubahan), Mr. Anies Baswedan, confirmed he would be accepting and attending President Widodo’s invitation.

The appointment is included in Mr. Anies’s schedule of activities for Monday which was distributed to the media. National Democrat (Nasdem) Party General Secretary Mr. Hermawi Taslim¹ stated that all the presidential candidates were invited to attend this afternoon’s event.

This means that Ganjar, Anies, and Prabowo Subianto are expected to have lunch with President Widodo today.

According to Mr. Hermawi, the meeting reflects President Widodo’s commitment to supporting all of the candidates competing in the 2024 presidential election [equally].

Three pairs of candidates have registered for the 2024 presidential election: Mr. Anies Baswedan and Mr. Muhaimin Iskandar (known as Cak Imin), Mr. Ganjar Pranowo and Mr. Mahfud MD, and Mr. Prabowo Subianto and (President Joko Widodo’s son,) Mr. Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Mr. Anies and Cak Imin are supported by the Nasdem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), and the Justice and Welfare Party (PKS).

Ganjar and Mahfud are supported by (President Widodo’s former sponsor) the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Development Unity Party (PPP), the Indonesian Unity (Perindo) Party, and the People’s Conscience (Hanura) Party.

Meanwhile, Mr. Prabowo and (President Widodo’s son) Gibran, are supported by the Gerindra Party, the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Democratic Party (PD), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Gelora Party, the Garuda Party, the Prima Party, and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI).

This article is based on: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/10/30/10592231/mahfud-sebut-hanya-bacapres-yang-diundang-makan-siang-dengan-jokowi

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In related news:

• https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20240112225004-617-1048929/hasto-terbuka-bentuk-poros-baru-dengan-amin-di-putaran-kedua
• https://x.com/KompasTV/status/1746126205458477234?s=20
• https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/10/31/09170341/prabowo-ungkap-harapan-jokowi-kepada-dirinya-anies-dan-ganjar
• https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/10/31/05300051/pendekatan-meja-makan-ala-jokowi-di-tengah-panasnya-suhu-politik-

Footnotes:

1. https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermawi_Taslim ↩︎