Kamis 10 Jan 2019 19:32 WIB

Jokowi sees Megawati as inspirational figure, national force

Jokowi says PDIP is grateful to have Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Red: Reiny Dwinanda

Foto: Antara/Puspa Perwitasari

President Joko Widodo (center) and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (second left), Chairperson of PDI Perjuangan Megawati Soekarnoputri (left), former Vice President Hamzah Haz (right), and Vice Presidential Candidate KH Ma'ruf Amin (second right) attend the 45th anniversary celebration of PDI Perjuangan in Jakarta, Thursday (Jan 10).

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has praised Megawati Soekarnoputri, founder and chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), as an inspirational figure. He also considered Megawati as a national force.

"PDIP is grateful to have Mme. Hajjah Megawati Soekarnoputri, PDIP chairman and Indonesia's fifth president," Jokowi stated, while addressing an event to celebrate the 46th anniversary of PDIP, here, on Thursday.

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Megawati asks PDIP cadres to win elections in dignified way

He noted that Megawati has very strong ideological and political beliefs and very much believes in Pancasila state ideology. "She has inspired and always keeps inspiring us, the Indonesian people," he remarked.

For the cadres of PDIP, in particular, Megawati is a role model for her bravery, honesty, and consistency, he added. Jokowi also revealed that the great assets of the nation are brotherhood, unity, and harmony.

Also present at the event were Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, Speaker of the House of Representatives Bambang Soesatyo, Head of the People's Consultative Assembly Zulkifli, Chief of the National Intelligence Agency Budi Gunawan, and Head of the Presidential Staff Office Moeldoko. Vice Presidential Candidate Ma'ruf Amin and former vice presidents, Try Sutrisno and Hamzah Haz, also attended the gathering.

Meanwhile, Megawati during her speech has called on the ruling party's cadres to win the upcoming presidential and legislative elections to be held on April 17, 2019. Efforts to win the elections should be carried out constitutionally, she stated.

"I ask all PDIP cadres to win in a dignified way, not by spreading hoax, hate speach and so on," she remarked at the the 46th anniversary of PDIP in Kemayoran, Jakarta, Thursday.

Indonesia will organize the presidential elections, considered by many as a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential race, wherein incumbent Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto are again set to go head-to-head. Seeking a second term, Jokowi, a PDIP cadre and furniture businessman, has picked Ma'ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, as his partner, while retired general Subianto has chosen Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, a young and successful entrepreneur and former deputy governor of Jakarta, as his running mate.

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