Jokowi, top officials to discuss inauguration

JAKARTA. President-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, House Speaker Setya Novanto, People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Zulkifli Hasan and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) speaker Irman Gusman have gathered in a hotel in Central Jakarta to talk about the recent political dynamics and the inauguration ceremony for the new president and vice president that is slated to be held on Oct. 20.

Kompas.com reported on Friday that they had planned to meet with the press soon after the meeting was over. A room has been prepared for the press conference, however, the meeting is apparently still ongoing.

Beforehand, the MPR had stated that it planned to invite losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and vice president candidate Hatta Rajasa to the inauguration ceremony.

Commenting on this plan, the secretary general of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Taufik Kurniawan, said the Red-and-White Coalition respected the invitation. He acknowledged that the invitation was a sympathetic gesture from Jokowi’s camp and therefore could pave the way to a genuine reconciliation between the two presidential candidates.

“We still need to discuss the invitation in a plenary meeting with other coalition members first before providing the proper response,” he said.(dic)