Yusitnus Paat, Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Yogyakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo held a closed-door meeting with Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwowo X at the Yogyakarta Palace on Sunday with a royal staff member urging the media to refrain from speculating on their discussions.

As the presidential election approaches, Jokowi spent the weekend in the special autonomy region in southern Java. He is not a candidate due to constitutional term limits, but his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is contesting as a vice-presidential candidate.

His visit coincided with campaign rallies by presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo in Yogyakarta.

Jokowi's meeting with the Sultan lasted about an hour with no ordinary topic being discussed, said Kridho Mardowo, head of art development at the palace.

"The president was in Yogyakarta, and like in the past, he always spent time with His Majesty," Kridho said. "Our message is to avoid speculations about the meeting because His Majesty and the president often have meetings between them."

While Yogyakarta holds a strategic location in the central part of Java, it is not considered a key battleground, with approximately 2.8 million registered voters, compared to East or West Java, where there are more than 30 million registered voters each.

Earlier in the day, President Jokowi also shared a moment with Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, chairman of the Democratic Party, which supports presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, Gibran.

Jokowi and Agus rode bicycles and later had breakfast together in Yogyakarta.

"We discussed national issues, including preparations to ensure secure, peaceful, and democratic elections," Agus said. "I wish Mr. Jokowi good health and a smooth conclusion to his current presidential term."

In the afternoon, Jokowi played soccer under heavy rain at an outdoor pitch in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Province.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowi-holds-private-meeting-with-yogyakarta-sulta