Meeting Jokowi After The Election, NasDem Calls Surya Paloh Evidence Not Baperan

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) together with the Chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh (ANTARA)

Chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh met with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace after the 2024 General Election, namely on Sunday, February 18 evening.

The chairman of the NasDem DPP Willy Aditya said that the meeting between Paloh and Jokowi proved that the two could still sit together to address the political and national dynamics that did not stay away from each other.

"Pak Surya shows how he is an open person, a cosmopolitan, tolerant, President Jokowi is like that too. So we see that he is not in culture, not in a childish laggam, who is careless, not baperian, right," Willy told reporters, Sunday, February 18th.

Although NasDem is now in the Change Coalition which carries presidential and vice presidential candidates number 1, Willy said Surya Paloh still wants to build communication with Jokowi who is the father of cawapres number 2.

"We have to see that this communication is a bridge to truly the social capital and political capital of this nation. The nation, this is with all interests, with all differences, the capital for then being able to meet one another is dialogue and communication," explained Willy.

When asked whether this meeting was a signal for Jokowi to invite NasDem to continue to join his ranks after the 2024 General Election, Willy considered that this assumption was too early to be arrested.

"Ah, it's too early, Mr. Surya is a striking person with his attitudes. So we respect each other. Especially for President Jokowi, the government this time is the commitment of the NasDem Party, the request of Pak Surya to support President Jokowi until it is finished (October 2024), that's undeniable," he said.

Surya Paloh's meeting with Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace took place with a joint dinner agenda. The Coordinator of the Special Staff of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ari Dwipayana, said that initially Surya Paloh asked to meet with Jokowi.

*The President received Mr. Surya Paloh tonight at the Merdeka Palace. Previously, Mr. Surya Paloh submitted a request to appear before the President," said Ari, Sunday, February 18.

In contrast to the Palace's statement, Secretary General of the NasDem Party, Hermawi Taslim, explained that Surya Paloh's presence was at the Palace at the invitation from Jokowi.

"The presence of the Head of NasDem Pak Surya Paloh at the State Palace is to fulfill President Jokowi's dinner invitation," said Hermawi.