Jokowi wants Golkar in coalition

JAKARTA. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has applauded the Golkar Party’s plan to quit the Red-and-White Coalition in the House of Representatives, the leader of the party’s splinter group, Agung Laksono, claims.

“I met him yesterday and he praised Golkar’s intention to quit that coalition,” Agung said late on Thursday.

Jokowi was quoted by Agung as saying the political coalition had lost its purpose as it was formed only for the July 9 presidential election.

Golkar joined the Red-and-White Coalition when it backed the presidential bid of Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto.

Following Prabowo’s defeat, senior politicians in Golkar have sought the ouster of party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, whom they regard as a failure.

A splinter faction held a party congress in December last year and elected Agung as the party’s new chairman.