Djarot About Jokowi Not Invited To The PDIP Anniversary: He Goes Abroad, Definitely Not Present

Chairman of the PDI-P (PDIP) DPP Djarot Saiful Hidayat (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the PDI-P (PDIP) DPP Djarot Saiful Hidayat ensured that his party would not invite President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to the 51st PDIP Anniversary event on January 10. The reason is that the cadres will be abroad.

"Pak Jokowi, we know, we heard the information that he was going abroad. Even if he was invited to carry out (activity, red), he would not be present," Djarot told reporters in Jakarta quoted on Monday, January 8.

Moreover, Djarot said that the party's anniversary commemoration of the bull symbol would be carried out simply. PDIP plans to carry out activities with the people.

"So this activity is carried out simultaneously throughout Indonesia up to the levels of DPC, PAC, and branches," he said.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, activities will only be held at the PDIP Party School, Lenteng Agung. "The place is very limited and we will do it (event, ed) very solemnly," said Djarot.

Meanwhile, Presidential Special Staff Coordinator Ari Dwipayana has conveyed that President Jokowi will make working visits to several countries in Asean on that date.

"But I will tell you the certainty later. I'll check it first, but if there is a visit abroad, maybe not (present, ed)," Ari told reporters, Friday, January 5.

Even so, Ari ensured that the official trip abroad was not to avoid the PDIP's birthday event. The schedule has been arranged for a long time.

It is known that the condition of the relationship between PDIP and President Jokowi did not seem to get along. This is because the son of President Jokowi who is also the Mayor of Solo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, suddenly ran as a vice presidential candidate (cawapres) accompanying Prabowo Subianto.

In fact, at the same time PDIP together with three other parties, namely PPP, Hanura Party, and Perindo Party, supported Ganjar Pranowo, who was paired with Mahfud MD, who served as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam).