Senior Politician Ridwan Hisjam Says Jokowi Has Been Golkar For A Long Time

President Joko Widodo (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is widely rumored to have joined the Golkar Party. A senior Golkar Party politician, Ridwan Hisjam, said that Jokowi was actually a true Golkar cadre.

"Jokowi has been in Golkar since 2015. But actually Jokowi is a Golkar cadre," said Ridwan in a viral video circulating on social media, quoted on Monday, March 11. Ridwan then explored Jokowi's career, which has had a background as a furniture entrepreneur since the 1990s. Until then, Iriana's husband has traveled to the political stage since taking part in the 2005 Solo Mayor's Pilkada. "Because I know that since he was still an entrepreneur in Solo in 2003-2004, he will run as Mayor of Solo, looking for a party to carry him. If Pak Jokowi is a PDIP cadre, there is no need to look for a supporter anymore," he said.

In the 5-minute video uploaded to the X @quintta1217 account, Ridwan revealed the story of Jokowi who ran to become Mayor of Solo and then participated in the 2014 Presidential Election contestation.

At that time, the chairman of Golkar Solo, his name was Mas Kus (RM Kus Rahardjo), a derivative of the Solo Palace. At that time, the chairman of Golkar East Java was also a member of the DPR RI 1999-2004. Mas Kus came to me, to Jakarta, "Mas Ridwan has a businessman named Joko Widodo, his nickname is Jokowi, we must support the mayor," explained Ridwan.

At that time, continued Ridwan, Jokowi wanted to be paired with the frontman of PDIP Solo, FX Hadi Rudyatmo. This was conveyed by Kus to Ridwan.

"Wow, I don't dare to talk. Incidentally at that time there was still Bang Mahadi (Sinamabela) who was the chairman of OKK, I didn't report it to Bang Akbar (Chairman of Golkar DPP Akbar Tanjung). Bang Mahadi said, "Wow, don't look for things if you support this person. Finally, where did Jokowi go, (Finally) supported by PAN, PKS, there is no PDIP yet," he said.

"Until the processes, this is the end, so Jokowi is supported by PDIP on the condition that his deputy Mr. FX (FX Rudi)," added Ridwan.

From that background, Ridwan then concluded that Jokowi had been a Golkar cadre since becoming an entrepreneur in Solo.

"So entrepreneurs during the New Order era are all Golkar. I am the General Chair of the East Java Young Entrepreneurs Association, the chairman of the real estate Indonesia (REI). Finally, there was (Jokowi) president in 2014," he concluded. Previously, the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party DPP, Airlangga Hartarto, responded to the issue that President Jokowi would join his party. He said Golkar and Jokowi had indeed held a meeting.

However, the meeting that Airlangga meant was a close relationship between Golkar and Jokowi. Where Airlangga as Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the president always goes hand in hand all the time.

"Pak Jokowi and the Golkar Party have indeed had a meeting, so because they have met, they have been side by side. Just look at the Golkar Party's advertisements with Pak Jokowi, so that shows Pak Jokowi's closeness to the Golkar Party and Pak Jokowi's comfort with the Golkar Party," he said at the Golkar Party DPP office, Slipi, West Jakarta on Sunday, March 10, WIB night. Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo only smiled when asked by reporters about the issue of joining the Golkar Party.

This happened after the President gave a press statement at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta before leaving for Australia on Monday, March 4.