M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo confirmed that he met with NasDem Party chair Surya Paloh at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, on Thursday evening, August 31, amid the rising issue of Paloh appointing the National Awakening Party (PKB) chair Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin as vice presidential candidate for Anies Baswedan.
"It's an ordinary meeting," the President said at JCC Senayan, on Friday, September 1, 2023.
He denied when asked whether the meeting discussed the presidential pair Anies and Muhaimin. He also claimed that he did not want to interfere with the Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP), which was threatening to split over Paloh's unilateral decision.
"It's the party chairman's matter, the party's business, not the President's," he said shortly.
Meanwhile, Surya Paloh explained that there were indeed discussions on politics ahead of the 2024 elections during a meeting with the President last Thursday. Paloh reportedly arrived at the Palace at 17:30 Jakarta time on Thursday and had the meeting for more than 15 minutes.
When asked if there was any specific discussion on the Anies – Muhaimin pairing, Paloh did not give a clear answer. "We discussed various issues in a warm atmosphere because we haven't seen each other for some time," he said.
The Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP) is a political alliance of opposition parties namely the Democratic Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and the NasDem Party.
Following Paloh's decision, the Democratic Party instructed cadres to take down billboards and banners featuring Anies Baswedan and the party's chair Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) as a form of disappointment.
"Yes, [the billboards were removed]," said Syarief Hasan, a member of the party's High Council, on Friday, September 1, 2023.
The Democratic Party's deputy for elections, Kamhar Lakumani, explained that the party's position in the coalition would be decided at the meeting of the Democratic Party's High Council (MTP), headed by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono alias SBY, on Friday afternoon in Cikeas, West Java.