Response to Jokowi’s Statement on Democratic Party Meeting – Central Java Today

By:Teuku Riefky Harsya, Secretary General of the Democratic Party

(jatengtoday)- Today, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, the Democratic Party was contacted by national media to seek clarification on President Joko Widodo’s statement that Democrats often visit the Palace. PKS also went to the Palace, but wanted it at night. This was conveyed by President Joko Widodo during a meeting with a number of national media editors at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Since the President’s statement has become the concern of the wider community and statements relating to the Democratic Party may be misunderstood, the Democratic Party DPP should provide a response and explanation as follows:

After the news spread through various media, the Democratic Party DPP immediately gathered information to find out if there had indeed been a meeting of the Democratic Party with President Joko Widodo. We interpret that what the Democratic Party means is the leadership of the Democratic Party to meet President Joko Widodo in the Palace.

Therefore, in my capacity as the General Secretary of the Democratic Party, I seek and demand an explanation from Mr. SBY both in his capacity as the Speaker of the Upper House of the Democratic Party and as the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia .

I also asked and demanded explanations from the General Chairman of the Democratic Party, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono for the same purpose, because again, it was these two personalities who both organizationally and personally made it possible to meet the President at the Palace.

Mr. SBY’s explanation of this is as follows:

1) In the past 3.5 years, Mr. SBY recorded 3 meetings with President Joko Widodo. First of all, happened on October 10, 2019 at the Merdeka Palace, at noon. The meeting was initiated and invited by President Joko Widodo. Second, when Mr. SBY attended Brother Kaesang’s wedding in Solo. The meeting took place at night, and at that time, Mr. SBY was present with AHY and his wife and EBY and his wife, to respond to an invitation which was also at night, to congratulate the marriage of the president’s son Joko Widodo. Third, Mr. SBY met President Joko Widodo in the Bali Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) area on November 15, 2022, also at night as the invitation received by Mr. SBY was to attend the G20 Gala Dinner at night .

2) The three meetings that determine the place and time are President Joko Widodo, and Mr. SBY respects President Joko Widodo as the Head of State, who is currently exercising the mandate. This means that the initiative for the three meetings came from President Joko Widodo. It was not Mr. SBY’s initiative and even less to ask the time at night.

The explanation of the chairman of the AHY Democratic Party is as follows:

1) In the past 3.5 years, the President of AHY has only met President Joko Widodo once on March 9, 2021 (about 2 years ago). The meeting was at the request of the palace and the place chosen was the palace of Bogor, and the agreed time was at night. Thus, the time of the meeting that night was also not at the request of the General Chairman of the Democratic Party AHY. However, just as Mr. SBY’s attitude respects President Joko Widodo as Head of State, so does the attitude of the General President of AHY.

2) In fact, the Palace said that President Joko Widodo wanted to meet with Mr. SBY in order to clarify what President Moeldoko’s chief of staff had done regarding his decision to take over the legitimate leadership of the Democratic Party. At that time, Mr. SBY replied that the most appropriate person to listen to President Joko Widodo’s explanations was the President General of AHY. In short, AHY was invited to go to Bogor Palace on March 9, 2021 in the evening.

3) In a meeting with AHY at Bogor Palace that night, President Joko Widodo accompanied by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno explained that he knew nothing about what KSP Moeldoko was doing to gain control of the Democratic Party. It was the recognition of President Joko Widodo transmitted to the General President of the AHY.

The four meetings between President Joko Widodo and the personalities of the Democratic Party, MM. SBY and Ketum AHY, took place 2-3 years ago. These meetings were not what the public often describes as political meetings that President Joko Widodo usually holds with political parties supporting the government.

With this explanation, it is hoped that the media and the general public will understand the true nature of the problem and will not be prejudiced against the Democratic Party as if the Democratic Party is also looking for a way to meet President Joko Widodo and ask him for an evening. If we do not clarify, the Democratic Party could be accused of playing cat and mouse, which we have never done.

If there are differences of opinion with the Palace, we, the Democratic Party, including Mr. SBY and Ketum AHY, are ready to face both President Joko Widodo and his aides. It is very important for the truth to be maintained in this country that we love.

Thus, the Democratic Party’s response and explanation in relation to President Joko Widodo’s statement we have set forth above, which is currently a concern of the wider community.