Golkar Denies Meeting Of Puan And Luhut To Lobby Support Ganjar

Deputy Chairperson Of The Golkar Party Ahmad Doli Kurnia (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Golkar Party Ahmad Doli Kurnia denied speculation that the meeting of PDIP DPP Chair Puan Maharani and Golkar Party Advisory Council Chairman Luhut Binsar Panjaitan to lobby so that the banyan party withdrew support from Prabowo Subianto and turned around to support Ganjar Pranowo.

According to Doli, the meeting between Puan and Luhut was only limited to the national gathering between political figures ahead of the 2024 General Election. Moreover, Indonesia has experience in polarization and division in the 2019 Election.

"I think Mrs. Puan is also part of the PDIP who already has an attitude, has a presidential candidate. So, yes, it may be just a matter of national relations to discuss how to keep Indonesia maintained, solid, united," Doli told reporters, Tuesday, September 26.

The chairman of Commission II of the DPR trusted Luhut's commitment to support Golkar's decision to join the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM).

"I think Mr. Luhut is now Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Golkar Party, Mr. Luhut knows what Golkar's decision is like," explained Doli.

"He has also explicitly stated that Pak Luhut is fully supportive of Golkar's decision to join KIM," he continued.

Previously, PDIP DPP Chair Puan Maharani uploaded a meeting moment with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on her official Instagram account, @puanmaharaniri, Monday, September 25. Puan was seen sitting together with Luhut who was separated by a table containing snacks.

"This is no longer a fight for the back of the Lhoo. This is again the same as Opung excited to talk about the election, eehh, rempeyek means...," Puan wrote in her uploaded statement by including a big smiley emoticon.

Puan then explained the meeting. He joked about his meeting with Luhut discussing the rempeyek.

"(Buhas) is empty," joked Puan to reporters in South Jakarta, Tuesday, September 26.

Asked again what was discussed when he met Luhut, Puan was still joking about the rempeyek.

"What is certain is that Mr. Luhut's rempeyek is very good," he added.